Just Like That
by SerbiaTakesCntrl
Summary: Imatsura Sayuri is not only homeless, but a drunk as well. However, Itachi and Kisame are sent to collect her. Obviously she must be more than just a drunk, right? A town hero, a mysterious past, and a bad drinking habit? Just why does Leader want her?
1. Ch 1: Behind the Quadrangle

**You know what the sun looks like at sunset? Like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is all over the water. And the moon is just watching. She's just watching him die. She must have driven him to it.**

**-Tithe**

_There is a lot in life we never actually know. So many people and events we never acknowledge or notice, and sometimes, blatantly ignore._

_Still, regardless of this ignorance so passively accepted, there are stories to be told that are just as meaningful as the next._

_So while Naruto overcame his obscurity and loneliness, trained through hardships and sorrows, and changed the people around him, other tales of venture were strewn about the world._

_Imatsura Sayuri was one of them._

"A lonely woman waits at home, her darli'n lost at sea. He said goodbye, and with a kiss, and 'Don't wait up for me'." Fuu sang sweetly as she strolled along the dirt pathway. She could smell the scent of charred chicken and Cajun sauce from the village just over the hill. The tree's around her rustled in the slight breeze, cascading leaves along the roadside.

"She waited till eternity, but still he never came. And lost in grief she took her life, oh what a wasted shame." She whispered the last verse and looked to the sky thoughtfully. "Speaking of suicide, I wonder where Saya-oneesan is right now..?"

_Somewhere..._

"Itachi-san, what did Leader-sama want?" Kisame regarded his partner curiously. They sat in a small alcove near an estuary, freshwater barnacles clinging to the sides of the bayside. Early morning dew slid off of damp leaves and grass, a wet smell thickening the humid air and creating a heavy breeze. Itachi, who had been sitting with crossed legs, opened his eyes slowly, and without turning to him, replied.

"We're to find a woman."

Kisame arched a brow.

"A woman? What does he want with a woman?" Suddenly a knowing smile crossed his features. "Should I really ask?"

Itachi made a small noise, amusement somewhere with in it.

"He did not specify."

Kisame sighed and rested Samehada on his back. A hoard of gnats floated past them, chasing each other in small circles and nearly creating a visible black cloud. A fish jumped up as the cloud skirted over the water, making the black bugs disperse momentarily before reforming higher above the waters rippling surface.

"Where to then?" He asked while Itachi leisurely stood and faced south.

"Shikairi village." He said gently. Kisame, about to step forward, paused.

"The village by the sea?" He asked. Itachi silently bowed his head and started off.

Kisame partner smirked.

"This sounds like fun."

_Time ticks by precariously. It loses itself to the seconds and hours, leaving only trails of dust and remains behind. I present to you a time skip, in a place where this story takes root and legends are made. This is the disturbance that created the ripples…_

"Another round!" Imatsura Sayuri pounded on the oak-streaked bar, her eyes glassy and her movements languid. The bartender, Bo, who had known her since she had arrived in Shikai, gave her a hard look. He was a burly man, tall and muscular. His skin was deeply coffee-colored from his younger days as a freelance shipman and his large, calloused hands, evidence of those days, polished a glass as he regarded the woman.

When Sayuri had arrived at the village some five years ago, she had wandered in half drunk, half hung-over. She was terribly delirious.

It was, to say the least, pathetic.

She had been aimlessly walking around like a lost dog or stray cat, not approaching anyone but also not leaving. When she had passed by his tavern, he had eyed her warily. They got a lot of weirdo's in the village, particularly because they were on the water and all sorts of people docked at their market.

So naturally most ignored her.

However, her clothes were rugged and her emaciated form had some of the vendors on edge. Any moment, they expected, she would drop dead.

She had sauntered from shop to shop, hiccupping and pointing wildly at inanimate objects. At one point she even accused a broken chair of leaving her behind in the midst of battle. Without allowing the wholesaler to talk her out of it, she wrestled the thing until it was completely beyond repair. Although the spectacle was amusing, the merchant was hardly pleased with her work and promptly kicked her out of his stockpile.

She irritated most of the other shoppers and vendors until she had them yelling and throwing trashed merchandise at her. No one had noticed at the time, because it was very unnoticeable among the chaos of the angry villagers, but Bo had watched and saw.

She dodged all the pans, rocks, and trash that had been chucked at her.

It seemed more like a half-hazard dance, like she was tripping over her own feet and was just lucky enough to escape their wrath, but Bo figured that if it was just simply that, then perhaps she would have tripped and fallen with all of that movement.

But she hadn't, and it made him wonder.

Regardless, he had customers to attend to and he had little time to spare on such a woman. She was little more in his mind than a mere abnormality among the many he encountered throughout the week, and soon, she was out of sight and mind.

However, the next day came around, and so did trouble. Many different types of people roamed around their village, and this of course included the occasional band of pirates. They had ransacked a local store of rations and taken a little girl hostage. The crew only consisted of four ruffians, and they had stationed themselves in the village center, near a water-fountain. They had been surrounded by most of the villages civilians...

_"No one come any closer or the brat gets her throat slit!" The ragged and dirty-looking man yelled, clutching a small child closely. Her blonde hair was muddy from being dragged along, and her cheeks were wet with fresh tears. She trembled against her captors hold and sniffled back sobs of fear, hating that she could do nothing but stand and hope she wasn't killed. The mans companions were behind him, next to the gurgling water, and were holding their finds with wolfish grins. A crowd had formed around them, a team of wharf-police lingered at the front, ready to jump in at any moment._

_They were frantically attempting to formulate some plan of action. _

_"You'll never get away with this, bastards!" One man yelled, cupping his mouth with his hands for a make-shift speakerphone. _

_The man with the girl smirked. His piercing on his eyebrows shined against the bright sun, the fake gold plating rusting along the edges and inflaming his skin to a blotchy red. _

_"Naw, we'll get away. Just like we always do. Besides, who's gonna stop us, eh?" His smile transformed into a wide grin as the crowd murmured uncertainly. Bo watched the scene before him closely, his eyes narrowed at the sea-rat and at the rusty knife in his hand. There were no skilled ninja in their village, except on peculiar occasions, and the police force wasn't very good. He wondered idly what exactly they did with their time._

_After all, rallying up scum like this was their only job, wasn't it? _

_Suddenly, he caught movement from the left side of the throng of citizens. Irritated shouting erupted from the area, and then a figure was tossed out into the empty circle where the pirates were. The body fell sloppily to the ground, getting to its knees unsteadily.. _

_Bo's eyes widened._

_It was the drunkard from before! _

_The pirate scowled and held the knife closer to the child's throat. She whimpered pitifully._

_"Who the hell are you?" He spat at her, jerking the kid to face the new-comer. With her eyelids half opened, the woman looked up to the man tiredly, almost boredly. _

_"Who are you?" She mimicked, her words barely formed. It was as if she had a rock on her tongue and had trouble keeping it from falling out and plopping onto the dirt beneath her. His scowl deepened._

_"Get the hell outta here, you dumb bitch!" He screamed. The woman, shakily, got to her feet and made a small salute. _

_"Aye, aye, cap'n." She said, but stumbled forward, towards the group of thieves. He stepped back slightly, his grin faltering nervously at the approaching edges of the crowd._

_"What are you doin, eh, onna?" He shook the girl as she cried out. "You want me ta kill this kid?" She stopped, her arms dropping limply before lifting one to scratch the back of her head as she looked up at the man, squinting._

_"No, not really. You think you could drop her and hand over the stuff you took?" She asked with a vapid sigh. "It looks like these people are pretty angry." _

_He barked out a laugh as the crowed murmured. He looked at the woman condescendingly and loosened his hold on the girl._

_"What are you, stupid? There's no way in hell I'm gonna do somethin like that! What do you take me for, a fool?" He laughed as his accomplices laughed along, albeit warily. "You stupid woman. Go back and suck a-"_

_"Oi!" She interrupted him, covering her ears. "Don't talk so loud or you'll burst my ear drums!" She grimaced, her face turning a slight shade of green. Bo didn't know what she'd do first: black out or wretch? The crowd suddenly started yelling and screaming. However, it wasn't at the pirates this time. _

_Instead, it was at the woman._

_"Get outta here!" "You're gonna get her killed!"_

_"You dumb drunk!"_

_"Baka!"_

_She swallowed heavily, rubbing her head she watched as the man became distracted with the crowd._

_"Hey, all of you! Shut up or I'm gonna-" _

_Suddenly, something happened. It happened so fast that no one really saw exactly what transpired, not even Bo, who had been watching very closely. The pirate had the girl, a knife in hand, and was demanding the crowd to move away. His irritated scowl was deep and his eyes were sharp. But then, suddenly, the woman moved. The movement was sloppy but swift as the she snatched up the man's wrist and shoved the girl away, pulling the pirate's arm behind him while driving him to the floor with a foot on his back. She took the knife in her other hand, pulling his arm so hard that it popped out of place, followed by a howl of pain from his lips. _

"_Little boys shouldn't play with knives." She said lazily. Then, with a jab, she punched him on the side of the skull, rendering him unconscious. She twirled the knife on her index finger. _

_The crowd settled down and stared relentlessly. _

_Still frozen to the spot she was pushed, the blond girl attempted a stuttered thanks, but could only end up bowing her head. The woman watched her and shrugged before trailing her gaze to the rest of the thieves. She nodded towards one of them._

_"Oi, throw me a that bottle of sake yer holdin!" She ordered. Shaking his head a bit before nodding numbly, he tossed her the bottle._

_She struggled to catch it for a moment, juggling it between both hands. Then, uncorking it, she sipped and sighed. _

_The police finally pushed through the throng of villagers and restrained the remaining crew, cuffing them and gathering the stolen loot. The crowd, recovering from their shock, watched as the woman stood and slowly strolled past them and towards the docks, muttering on about something they couldn't understand._

Ever since then, Sayuri had unofficially become the town hero, so to speak. Every once in a while, when some trouble or other stirred, Sayuri would casually step in and resolve the problem. Tripping a thief with an "Oops, I didn't see you" or saving a drowning child with a fishing pole with the excuse, "You think I can cook this?". She was forever drunk, and regardless of the situation, she never accepted any monetary reward. She didn't have a home, she just wandered around, and in her spare time she ran small errands for various people to earn just enough for a round or two.

"Bo~san! Lemme hafe anader round, ne?" She grinned and swayed, pointing at the polished cup he held. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes. She may be a drunk, but she was a good person. And personally, Bo liked good people regardless of their bad habits.

"No." He said, his voice held a tone that stood for no If's, Ands, or Buts. She scowled and waved him away.

"You're just no fun." She sighed, cupping her chin. Her floozy dialect seemed to have disappeared with her high spirits as well. "No fun at all."

She hadn't changed much in the years since she had arrived. Her plum-purple hair was sloppy and hung just at her shoulders, only pulled back by a blue turban that was wrapped as a hair band, covering half the top of her head. Her bangs dusted across her cheek bones, hiding her eyes sometimes. She had a dark skin tone, a mix between a smoky mocha and brown charcoal. Her wiry frame was long and thin, mostly, he guessed, from lack of a decent meal. For the most part she fashioned a simple black tank-top and navy-blue hakama pants.

Her feet were protected only by shabby geta sandals, and she had copious gold earrings on either ear.

Angled as her face was, it reminded Bo of something from the storybook pictures his grandmother used to show him as a small child. Her small nose and almond eyes made her closely resemble something fey-like.

The eyes she had were a striking amber color, and her long lashes accented her feminity. All in all, Bo had to admit, she wasn't bad looking, especially for such an unusual individual. If anything, she was slightly exotic. He had always been curious as to where she had come from, or if she had any family. But he never asked.

It just wasn't his place.

What he did do, however, was, grudgingly, provide her with booze when she had the money, and a free meal every time that she came for a visit. After all, it was the least he could do.

And she was always grateful.

Two figures in the back of the bar caught his attention as he placed the glass among others, and started on another dirty one. The pair had followed Sayuri into the bar, and had suspiciously ordered nothing but tea.

They had also been watching her like she was the last cracker in a starved village.

Bo was anything but ignorant, and when it came to details, he was particularly observant. The men were adorned in black coats with red puffy clouds, and they had been eyeing Sayuri for the past hour. She hadn't noticed, or at least she hadn't mentioned much, and he was starting to become very suspicious. He knew she was good, but these guys seemed menacing, and he didn't like their scent.

"Come on, come on! Just one more round, ne?" She pleaded.

* * *

Kisame looked at the woman and then gazed at Itachi.

"_This_ is the woman Leader-sama wants?" He asked dubiously. The woman was without doubt, a drunk. And it seemed, she was a floozy drunk as well.

"Hn."

Kisame grinned at his partner. Itachi seemed even less enthused about the idea of capturing the drunkard. They had been following her for just a little while before she arrived at the tavern, and she had wobbled the whole way there. Her wobbling evolved into a stagger, and she seemed to be humming an off-key tune as well.

As he heard the clink of glasses, Kisame eyed the bartender.

Bo was it?

He saw the man eyeing them, and he got the feeling that maybe the man was going to be trouble.

"One round! One round!" The woman pounded on the bar childishly. Bo regarded as if she were one, and shook his head.

"No more, Sayuri." She pouted and collapsed on the bar.

"No fun." She mumbled against the wood.

"When do you want to confront her?" He asked quietly. There were only a few others in the bar, but there was just enough noise to drown out their scheming. Itachi closed his eyes in thought.

"As soon as she leaves." He replied. Kisame grinned. Maybe she'd make a fun workout for him. Despite her terrible appearance, she might be worth unsheathing Samehada, though, he detected very little chakra from her.

Then again, maybe she would be nothing but shark bait.

* * *

Sayuri, or Saya, pouted for another ten minutes before sighing and standing.

"Alright, Bo-san, I'm off! Have a good night." She thanked him happily while clapping her hands together. Bo nodded and watched her leave.

Then, he turned his eyes to the men. Sure enough, they stood and were already hot on her trail. They had left their tab on the table, next to the two untouched beverages. He paused for a minute and beckoned to a boy sitting at one of the tables not too far off from his stand. The boy was a ninja in training from another village, and had been staying with some relatives for the past week.

"Whatcha need, Bo?" He asked cheerfully. Bo wondered grimly if his cheerfulness would harden once he became an actual shinobi.

"I want you to warn the police that there may be trouble tonight." He advised the boy.

The kid frowned.

"You think Saya-chan is gonna make some trouble?" He asked, turning his eyes to the door she'd just walked through. Bo watched the men push open the door and leave.

"No, but she might be in it."

* * *

"A lonely woman waits at home, her darli'n lost at sea. He said goodbye, and with a kiss, and 'don't wait up for me'." Saya crooned quietly as she dragged her feet down an alley and towards the beach. It was a nice, crisp night and she thought it would make a lovely walk. She had also noticed the men behind her and thought it would be a nice secluded place, no worries about little girls sleeping soundly in their beds or old men playing shogi deep into the night. As she made her way down the cobblestone, she heard their almost inaudible steps from above.

She smiled.

A few minutes later, she approached the white, crooked fence that separated the village from the beach and hopped over it. Strolling down the dunes to the shore, she made herself a seat on the soft sand just before the water. The waves lapped up the shore, completely visible due to the bright full moon that hung in the sky like a giant white lantern. The water shimmered between the rays of pure moonbeams, reminding Saya of a fish scale she had once collected as a child.

A few waves later, she heard their soft footfalls on the sand behind her. With a smirk she retrieved a thin bottle of sake from her person and uncorked the sipper, tilting her head back to take a swig.

The footsteps stopped just behind her.

"She waited till eternity, but still he never came. And lost in grief she took her life, oh what a wasted shame." She twitched her head from side to side, finishing the song.

"Onna, that's a pretty depressing song, don't you think?" A gravelly voice asked, making her grin. She bent her head backwards, unafraid of having her throat slit, and glanced at the pair that had been following her. Black cloaks, red clouds. One with black hair, one with blue. Mist and Konoha missing nin from the looks of their headbands.

S-classed.

On the back of the tall one was a very large, bandaged sword. Going by appearances, it seemed it was Samehada, one of the seven swordsmen's blades. If she remembered right, which she always did, Samehada was a unique katana, mostly for being a sentient weapon that gains nourishment from the chakra of others. Samehada has the ability to transfer the chakra it absorbs to the wielder by partial fusion. The fusion could either heal wounds or replenish chakra, which makes its wielder supremely hard to defeat.

The scroll that had contained all this information made Samehada seem like nearly the perfect sword for shinobi. The physical description matched that of the hilt she noticed just beside the roguish man's head, so her assumption was only a simple guess.

"But a woman really waited for her lost love out at sea. The tale is true, I speak to you, as true as you or me." She answered in a sing-a-song voice. Kisame watched her, a grin just barely lingering.

The woman was strange.

"Imatsura Sayuri, you are to come with us." Itachi stated authoritively. She looked back out to the ocean and took another mouthful. She crossed one arm over a knee.

"And if I refuse?" She wondered aloud, a twinkle in her eye.

"Then you will come." Kisame replied. "Unconscious."

She pouted her lips in thought.

"Won't you come and sit with me? It's a nice night to watch the waves." She asked them. "Or maybe you'd like to grab a drink?"

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

Saya didn't bother looking back at Kisame.

"I'm just getting started."

Kisame looked to Itachi, who was glaring at the woman's back. As if sensing their refusal, she added, "Humor me."

They remained in a strained silence until she conceded in a sigh.

"It's a wonderful night for wave watching. Join me, and I'll come with you. Peaceably."

"Just like that?" Itachi asked suspiciously. He didn't know a thing about the woman other than her name and location. She was a giant question mark, and she seemed just a bit too willing. She waved a hand out and shuddered with a shrug.

"Sure, why not?" She replied. "I'll go with you…Just like that"

**Authors Note: I started this fic a while ago, back when I just began writing seriously. This started out as something to kill time with while I was sick with a sinus infection. A warning to the reader that the writing for the first few chapters is rather immature and terribly unedited. My narration style has evolved throughout this fic, and continues to do so as I update with more chapters. I just wanted to forewarn you that the writing steadily increases in quality, both in description, dialogue, and plot.  
Thanks.**


	2. Ch 2: Lady Lemon

**DISCLAIMER: If I can't even write a decent fanfic with no grammatical errors, then obviously I am NOT the creator of Naruto or its characters. If I was, I would have changed Kisame's voice actor in Shippuden to someone who DOESN'T sound like a prepubescent boy. I do, however, own Saya and all her un-character-depthness.**

**That's about it.**

**(!)ATTENTION: I'm looking back on these earlier chapters and face-palming. Like, hardcore face-palming. I knew my writing sucked early on, but for the love of God, this is utterly pathetic. I'll be taking a really long time to update because I want to try editing these chapters a little, though once this fic is completed, I plan on coming back and really going crazy. **

**I appreciate any patience you're willing to spend on me.**

_There are places in the world we don't see or hear of. _

_There are people who we will never know of._

_There are things we could never imagine, happening all the time._

_And still, life goes on._

_Ignorance is bliss._

_But those people, places, and things…_

_They're all still there._

_Just waiting to be discovered._

* * *

"Do you know who we are, onna?" Kisame watched the woman closely, a slip of arrogance simmering just beneath his relaxed exterior. There must have been a catch. What was the girl up to, eh? Saya continued sipping her drink, her stare directed at the sea.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked in return. Well, she had them there, not that they were going to admit it.

She sighed.

"If I were to guess, I would guess you were Akatsuki," she hiccuped with a small jolt. Trailing her eyes up and down both men, she continued. "And if I were to guess why you've come for me, I would guess that you are in need for my special ability." It wasn't hard to guess who they were, of course. Any shinobi who had a bingo book could recognize who they were, how could they not with such blatant uniform?

A sly smile upturned her lips. She fell back onto the fine sand with a very unladylike grunt and stared up to the sky that was littered with twinkling stars, arms on either side of her. Both Itachi and Kisame watched as she wriggled those fingers into the sand and sighed, the coolness of it soothing her flushed skin. "My certain skill that leaves all else in the dust," she quipped.

"Oh?" Kisame prodded. Perhaps this is why Leader wanted the woman. She apparently had some sort of ability, one that would theoretically bring them closer to their goal. It must be something worthwhile as well, otherwise Leader would not have bothered.

"Yes," she nodded, "my amazing skill." Itachi scanned her, his Sharingan ready for her if she were to spring into action.

"Which would be?" Itachi asked, his voice a velvet-sheathed dagger in the darkness. There was a drawl to it, though, that didn't lessen its intensity. She turned her head slightly.

"Why, my amazing drinking abilities of course!" Kisame didn't even bother holding back the scoff that jumped from his throat. He really should have seen something like that coming. "I can out-drink everyone and their mother!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms out and sending sheets of sand into the wind. It whipped against both men's cloaks before being carried off along the rest of the shoreline.

"And just why would we need any use of that_ skill_?" Kisame questioned lazily, putting particular emphasis on the word. She shrugged.

"How should I know, that's just about all I'm good for." She blinked repeatedly and paused in thought just before careening her head back further towards where Kisame stood, who quirked a brow down at her. "You know, you've got alotta buggers in your nose, Ao-san!" A burst of husky giggles spurted from her throat while she pointed at Kisame with a single finger. He scowled, not in the least entertained by her antics.

"So are you coming or what, gaki?" he demanded, gripping the hilt of Samehada. She poked her chin in thought.

"Should or shouldn't, I don't know. Perhaps a star will tell me so!" She pointed to the sky and squinted. "I see….I see….I _see_!" she mumbled, moving her finger in circular motions. "I see _you_!"

Suddenly, she flipped back onto her feet and spun around, chucking her bottle past the two men. Kisame wasn't startled in the least, but that didn't keep him from growling at her.

"What the hell was that, onna?"

A loud _**thunk **_sounded behind them, and Kisame looked too see that she had hit a man in police clothing. His eyes were swirling, obviously he was unconscious, and two others looked down to him, taken aback.

Itachi had heard the men coming, it was hard not to the way they had trudged down the beach. But what made him narrow his eyes was the fact that the woman had heard them as well, despite her inebriated state. Leader hadn't given them much to go on, though, he was sure that wasn't due to lack of information. It didn't matter either way to him; the woman was hardly a challenge. Still, her senses, even with drink, weren't to be completely made light of it seemed.

One of the police looked up from his fallen comrade and yelled out at Saya.

"Sayuri, what's the big idea, eh?" Pointing accusingly at her, he marched forward as the other man helped the unconscious one to his feet, attempting to slap him awake. Saya waved him off and stuck out a tongue.

"Bleh. Whatta ya guys doin here anyways? Shouldn't you be reading your Icha Icha books or something? Since when do you patrol, ne?" She slapped both hands on her hips, her balance tipping only slightly before she righted herself again. The man rubbed his stubbly chin and then his short brown hair. He was probably in his early forties, and he seemed that he was used to the life of police work. He looked tired, almost as if he had been recently woken from a comfortable and welcomed sleep. Warily, he glanced at the Akatsuki men, wondering who exactly the two were and if they were the trouble he had been warned about.

"I was given a tip that you might be in some trouble, so we headed out to find you," he paused and looked to her, stopping in his tired stride. "Are these guys giving you trouble?"

"Nah, so you can go back to your pervy dreams, Icha-san," she slurred, waving him away. A deep blush bloomed across his cheeks.

"My dreams are none of your business. But that's beside the point." He glared at the two men. Kisame looked to Itachi, who was already engaging his Sharingan. Just as he was about to put the man to sleep, Saya pointed up at the sky.

"Oi, oi, wha's that!" she exclaimed. The man looked up, and as he did, she appeared behind him. "No, no. Over there!" She pointed in the opposite direction, a hand on his back to direct him. He followed her finger and looked, searching the sky.

"What?" He asked bewildered. Excitedly pointing in all directions, she had him spinning around so fast that he got dizzy and fell on his backside.

"Takuma-san!" The remaining coherent man called out worriedly. He was still trying to rouse the man who had been hit by the bottle. He seemed a lot younger than the other two, most likely being a newbie on the force.

He looked from each of his superiors and finally at Saya, dumbfounded. She, however, had turned back to the two men, both whom were waiting patiently for her to acknowledge them. She thoughtfully sized them up before coughing into her hand and rubbing her neck.

"You guys were serious about wanting me to come with you, weren't you?" she laughed. Itachi shifted, the look in his eyes giving her all she needed to know. Her smile never went away, but her tone hardened. "And seriously, if I say no?" she asked.

"Like I said," Kisame grinned, "you're coming, conscious or not." He threw a glance over at the three men. "Or, we could kill a few people to persuade you." He didn't think that would really work, not with Itachi not being one to kill unnecessarily. That certainly didn't mean _she_ knew that, and besides, just because Itachi wouldn't didn't mean he couldn't take a few heads. However, she didn't seem the least bit fazed and merely kicked a bit of sand beneath her shabby sandals.

"What happened to 'just like that'?" Itachi asked quietly. She swayed a bit and pointed at him

"You never sat and watched the waves, remember? You were too busy acting the big bad, dark and clad assassin role to even come outta yer shell and seal the deal, ne?" Itachi seemed nonplussed by her rant and accusation, but his previous glare never softened. Kisame, on the other hand, slammed his sword dramatically across the sand, sending a splash of powdery sand into the air.

"Enough, onna! What's it gonna be?" he barked dangerously. She grinned at his scowl and stared him on and without looking, she hauled the officer who was still unconscious into the air and tossed him to the other two.

"Heads up!" A mischievous smile crossed her features. The younger man gulped, his Adams apple bobbing, as his superior fell in a heap across him and his friend, leaving all three unconscious and down for the count. They were back near the fence, and out of the way for the impending fight. She turned back to the other two.

"What's it gonna be, you ask? Well, it's gonna be _just_ like this." She drunkenly pointed to Kisame. "I'm going to refuse, of course. In retaliation, you are going to make a mad dash to my left and take a nice jab at me. Me, however, already premeditating this, will have dodged and made a swift flip towards your dark friend over there." She pointed to Itachi. "Then, once I regain my footing, _you_ will snatch my arm up in a lovely death grip and attempt to swoon me with those gorgeous eyes of yours. However, _I_ had, again, assumed you would do so and you would be staring at my shadow clone. The real me would have already escaped during my explanation as to how all this would happen while the two of you were sucking my silly jibber up like silly sea sponges, and I will already be approximately ten to fifteen miles away and happily sipping my own personal gourd of sake I've been saving for a special occasion, which in this case would be my going away party." She finished with a wink.

Kisame blinked and waited a moment, watching out for any hand signs that resembled a replacement jutsu. She swung her head from side to side, looking for something and then pointing dramatically towards the space behind them. "Kami, what's that?" she yelped.

The distraction failed miserably.

She grinned sheepishly at them and turned to her left to make a run for it. Kisame saw this and took his chance to swing at her. He smirked as his blade came down on her, but just as it was about to hit, she flipped backwards a few times and stopped near Itachi. Itachi realized how similar things were playing out to her rambling and instead of grabbing her, made a move to trip her. However, she deftly pounced into the air as he went for her legs, so he swiftly snatched her arm while she was still in the air and slammed her into the earth. She choked on a grunt of pain as a smoke-screen of sand lifted into the air from contact. She winced and stared at him as he hovered above her. Kisame clucked his tongue as he neared the two and sneered down at her.

"Whatever happened to being miles away with sake, eh?" he jeered. She glanced from one man, whose eyes were beginning to spin, to the other, and back again before sticking out a tongue. Her form then went up in a pool of smoke, leaving the two Akatsuki members to stare at the bare ground. Kisame rolled his eyes and sighed, looking at his partner.

"When did she sneak off? I didn't see any hand signs."

Itachi stood and brushed himself off with a single jerk of his cloak. He calmly performed a few hand signs that were better known as a tracking jutsu and without looking up, responded.

"While we were sucking up her silly jabber."


	3. Ch 3: Drunken Stupor

_**Like the Cloud, Like the Wind.**_

_**-Tite Kubo**_

_Funny how our own misguidance can lead us to our own demise._

_Funnier still, how we blame others for that suicide. _

Saya stepped lightly as she covered the distance between the two mysterious, or not so mysterious, men. The Akatsuki was not new to her, she had long known of them because of their infamy among ninja. However, she had limited information on the actual profiles of each of the members.

She could only recollect the names of the two she had met because of their particular infamy. A famous swordsman, and a famous murderer. It wasn't hard to shift through her dusty memory to remember their names, even the name of Hoshigaki's sword, Samehada. She could remember that the Uchiha, obviously, had the Sharringan, and that the genjutsu he could create was great. She could even remember which bounty hunters had been smitten by the prices on their heads, and how one in particular had hit on her once when he had been passing through.

She had gotten her revenge: a little hole in the ground hidden by fall leaves had put a dampen on his ego.

However, she could _not_ remember Akatsuki's purpose, nor their fighting styles. The obvious was the obvious: Hoshigaki probably relied on Herculean strength and sword fighting, while the Uchiha probably relied on that inscrutable genjutsu (Saya had never been a fan of illusions) in order to render his enemies helpless.

Still, Saya hadn't really wanted to fight. She had given that up a long time ago. She preferred the smart, or what some would call sneaky, way out:

Running away.

She didn't really care what people thought of her, so she did this as often as possible when in a catch 22. What's more, she really didn't want to put the villagers in any danger. That was the last thing she needed on her list of regrets.

_And still growing higher_, she thought to herself as she dashed around a corner. What she figured was she needed to tell Bo about the officers on the beach. It wouldn't be right to just leave them there, and she doubted the two Akatsuki would do anything with them either. It would suck if they had to wake up, sandy and sore from a night in the cold. And as plebian as he was, Bo was still about as trustworthy as anyone could get.

He would see to their safety.

After she told the old man, she figured she would snatch a shot and be on her way. She had been in this village for far too long as it was.

She sighed.

_I really liked this town, too. _She hadn't felt at home in a very long time, but when she stumbled, quite literally, upon the village, it was like a beacon of hope. It wasn't home, nothing ever would be, but it came pretty damn close.

She almost paused.

Did she really have to leave? She could just deceive the men with another clone, or maybe even fight them. She instantly shook those naïve thoughts away. She hadn't been in a real fight in far too long to even entertain such an idea, and even if she had, she doubted she could take them without causing casualties. She might even die herself. And she was sure the Uchiha wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

She sighed, again.

It was time to leave, and she knew it. She just needed to get to Bo's as soon as possible, give him a heads up, and high tail it to the North-Western region. Or perhaps the North-Eastern? She wondered which way for a moment, but then decided it didn't matter. Either way would suffice. The lanterns above head seemed like flashes from firefly's as she flash-stepped to the bar. It was far too late for anyone to be about, so the streets were hauntingly empty. She hoped Bo wasn't asleep yet: It had only been about an hour or so since she had left him, so her hopes were quite high.

Finally, she stopped before the tavern and quickly slid open the door. She silently thanked whatever force was helping her that it was still open.

As she made her way into the bar, she immediately noticed that the number of people had actually doubled since she had taken her leave. She rolled her eyes.

_Figures, the one night I wish no one's at the bar and there's a whole shindig going on, _she thought to herself scornfully.

The loquacious banter filled the musky room, almost to the point of being overwhelming. A querulous group argued in the corner over whether the trade had been declining or not, one of them was blaringly loud as he cussed up a storm. Bo looked up as she entered, he had been talking with an old man, and gave her a hard look. She glided over to him and sat down next the geezer, holding a hand over the side of her face as if to shield her words from anyone who might be eavesdropping. But before she could utter her warning, Bo interrupted.

"What happened to those men?" She was stricken with surprise for a moment. She was astounded he had noticed them, not to mention Bo was usually laconic and taciturn, barely uttering a word unless spoken to first. That's why she had liked him: He didn't pester her about her motives nor her past. He had simply accepted her the way she was. Regaining herself, she quickly replied with a grin.

"Not to worry, once I leave they won't bother you. I just stopped by to tell you that Ichi-san and his Ichi buddies are out cold on the beach, and that someone might want to collect 'em." She nodded as she said this, agreeing wit herself. Bo blinked at her for a moment, then, a look of understanding settled in and he nodded solemnly. Her grin softened as she sat back.

"It was nice knowin ya, Bo-san." She muttered softly. The old man next to them watched Saya's eyes clear, as if she weren't muddled in drink. He had seen her around the village often enough, and she had never really caused much trouble. But she had always been skunk drunk, morning, noon, and night. This was the first time, he thought to himself, that she didn't seem like she was incapacitated. And for the first time, he noticed how she was quite beautiful.

Bo's eyes didn't soften, but he nodded all the same, and went back to cleaning a cup. There were no words that needed to be spoken. He understood, and she thanked him for that. As she neared the door, he suddenly called out to her. As she looked back to him, she saw an object nearing her. Catching it in a faultless swipe, she looked at what he had thrown to her.

It was a travel bottle of sake. She grinned, ruthlessly, and looked up to him in thanks. With that, she was gone, leaving few to see her leave.

…

…

….

As implacable as Itachi seemed, he was actually not given to fighting, never mind killing. Kisame knew this, even in the short time he had become acquainted with him, and as his partner finished the tracking jutsu, he grinned inwardly. He grinned, and he grinned even wider as he thought this, because Itachi, as of the moment, looked positively rabid.

In Itachi standards, anyways.

To anyone else, he would seem cool, level-headed. Very collected. But really, Kisame had been working far to long with the Uchiha kid, and he could tell when he was pissed about something.

And man, was he pissed.

He would have chuckled if he weren't cautious to the Uchiha's wrath.

_What wrath? _He asked himself with a hint of sarcasm. There wasn't a wrathful bone in the boys body. None the less, he left it be and waited patiently for Itachi to continue. Speak of the devil, at that moment, a thin, pale strip of gold light, which almost seemed to spark, lifted into the air. It traveled towards the village and into its depths. So that's where she had run off to. He shouldered Samehada and grunted.

"We going after her?" Itachi watched the pulsating ribbon.

"She won't stay in the village, not when she knows we're here. She'll leave tonight." He paused. Kisame finished for him.

"And we'll be waiting for her, right?" He moved his head, signaling agreement.

…

…

…

Saya strode out of town the same way she entered it: Wobbly, disorientated, and barely awake. She downed what bottle of sake she had and all that was left was her travel bottle. As she dragged herself past the final settlement of houses, she came to a dense forest. It surround the entire northern boarder of the village and stretched on about ten or twelve miles before it became a vast expanse of roads and villages scattered around the major greenery.

"I wonder what I'll do now…?" She wondered aloud as she followed the empty road out of the village. The dark of midnight clung to the air, along with the soft sounds of crickets and cooing of night pigeons. Dirt clumps beneath her sandals left her faint footprints behind as she walked deeper into the foliage.

_Another reason to run. Another reason for fun. When will this game ever end?_ She thought to herself. _It's almost as if life has nothing better to do than play with the strings of my destiny. Intertwining them and tangling them so much that, after so much playing, all that is left is a knotted mess. Sooner or later, I won't be able to move at all, and then life will have had its fun. Bored and ready for a new toy, it's sure to drop me, and let me fall to the depths of shadowed death, used and unable to function, my soul will collect dust and forever be handicapped._ She looked up to the hidden sky and grinned. _I guess I'll just have to win the game then, ne? _

The men's presence surfaced along the edge of her conscience. Well, she expected them sooner or later, figuring that it was only a matter of time before they caught up with her. She hadn't really anticipated to get too much farther without having to trick them, again. But what she wasn't expecting was the rope beneath her foot that suddenly tightened around her ankle and swung her up into the air, upside down.

"_Kyaa!_" She yelped as she swung back and forth, waving her arms in attempt to settle the huge vertigo that hit her like a bolder. As the her pendulum-like swing slowed, she heard the soft footsteps of someone approaching. Her dizzied vision shook, and for a moment, she thought she might empty her stomach of all its contents. But she kept it down, or rather up, and attempted to straighten her vision as the world swayed and turned every-which way, as if vibrating very fast. The expected blue of Hoshigake and the red and black cloaked figure of the Uchiha came into her vision, and halted before her denigrating position. Kisame chuckled at the sight while Itachi held back a smirk.

"What are you two lookin at?" She demanded, a ferocious blush covering her from head to toe.

"I'm still trying to figure that out." Kisame chortled, crossing his arms. She scowled, completely embarrassed but still she grinned at the figures.

"You think you're so smart, springing such a simple-minded trap." Saya accused, closing her eyes critically.

"Actually, we didn't set this up. It's a bear trap." He commented lightly, on the verge of laughing at her outright. Her eyes snapped open, which she immediately regretted as a another pounding hit of dizziness swung at her.

"Figures." She mumbled. Rubbing her pounding skull, she twisted in the ropes grip. "Care to help a poor woman out?"

"Yes, if you come with us, willingly." Itachi replied.

"Why the hell do you want me anyway?" She paused for a moment. "But I suppose you don't know." Sighing, she cradled her skull.

"We could just leave you here until you comply." Kisame said.

"I can get outta here myself, fool. I was only asking for some polite assistance." She snapped. As she began to swing back and forth, trying to reach the knot around her ankle, the lightheadedness finally got to her, her dehydration putting her to sleep. She fell limply back to a stand-still and limply hung from the cord. Kisame looked to his partner.

"Are we really sure this is who we're looking for?" He asked, just to make sure. Itachi turned his back to the woman.

"Cut her down and bind her. We've got what we came for." Kisame snorted and sliced the rope with Samehada, efficiently and quietly. She was just about to hit the ground when he swiftly caught her and heaved her across his shoulder. He was surprised to find that the woman weighed next to nothing, and even felt the slight press of her rib cage against his back. He had expected her to bear some sort of gut, considering the amount of liquor she seemed to intake; however, it was the complete opposite. This woman was thin, very thin, whether it be because of lack of food or her usual metabolism. Shrugging, he followed after Itachi and headed off to the west, where their base was currently located.

At least it wouldn't be tiring to carry her.

Itachi was a few steps ahead of him, almost blended with the darkness. Kisame was a little disappointed, he had been hoping that the woman would put up a fight, and then perhaps he would see just what Leader wanted her for. But once again, she escaped a battle, and he was left with the dull, throbbing excitement of bloodlust to ebb away, unsatisfied and unquenched.

But they had completed their mission, and had apprehended one drunk woman, ready for whatever it was that Leader wanted. As he thought this, he heard her mumble in her sleep.

"I didn't kill 'em…." He felt a slight dampness bloom across his cloak, where her face was. It took him a moment to realize that she was crying.

"That blood isn't mine…" She hiccupped, then grew quiet. She fell back to a silent slumber as her head lolled with every step he took.

Her words confused him.

Was it some drunken stupor, a dream induced by the sake, or was what she said true to some part of herself? But if it was, it didn't make any sense. Whatever, either way, they had a long way to travel, and it was till early in the morning.

**Thank you for reading thus far, I really hope the plot is interesting enough to hold your attention. Regardless, the chapters will get longer later on, because at the moment I'm still learning what writing style suits me best.**

**Thanks, and please, some feedback.**

**~Serb**


	4. Ch 4: Fragments of the Wanderers

Okay. I definitely, absolutely, unequivocally did NOT create Saya as a mary-sue. YOU, my dear, have given my writing a WHOLE new passion! (You know who you are 0.o) But I can see where you're coming from, and I appreciate the comment. I'm having a bit 'O trouble giving the characters depth (I'm an editor, not a writer). Anyhoo, thanks for the reviews.

**DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I don't own Itachi, Kisame, or any other Naruto junk. It's obvious and well-known, so sue me for bad writing and unoriginality, but DON'T sue me for fraud. Carry on.**

"NOOOOO!" Saya gripped her head in frantic anger. How could this have happened?

Where did it all go wrong?

Why was this happening to her?

It was disastrous!

It was unbelievable!

It was absolutely horrid!

Hell, this was the worst nightmare that could have only been conjured by her worst demons!

**THERE WAS NO MORE SAKE.**

Saya bolted up in a cold sweat, breathing rapid, shallow breaths. She shuddered as her nightmare left taunting screams in her head.

"_Saya has no more sake!"_

"_No more sake for Saya!"_

"…_..-bear trap."_

Wait-What? What about a bear trap?

She shook her head, trying to clear the remnants of the alcohol from her mind. Meekly, she cracked open one eye, and then the other, inspecting her surroundings.

Now, Saya was no extrovert, but she knew a thing or two about countries and their typical scenery. And from the looks of things, she sure as hell wasn't in Shikai village anymore. Her limbs creaked as she sat up to a sitting position, and glanced around. She appeared to be in a thick forest: there were vibrant, tropical flowers on a particularly tall tree in front of her, and to her left was dense undergrowth of what only could belong to the south. She swiveled to her right and discovered a slowly trickling river of pale water, only confirming her assumption: She was much more south than she had previously been.

But what had happened?

As she troubled over this question, her head began to pound with what only could be a hangover. Rubbing her skull, massaging it deeply, she huffed.

Then, suddenly, it hit her. Quite literally: she was suddenly hit up side the head with a foreign object. She fell back violently and hit her head on the pebbled ground.

Okay, God must have it out for her. The criterion, canon, gauge, touchstone, or whatever you wanted to call it, for which she was being punished was much too great! She didn't want to sound cliché, but she felt like she had been hit by a train, thrown into a wall, stuffed into a sewer, and then wrung out, and steam pressed with hot oil…

Okay, maybe not so cliché, but that's still how she felt.

And her effete memory didn't help her any.

She quickly ran a hand up and down her torso as she felt for any signs of nudity.

Okay, so she didn't get laid. _That's a plus…I think._

What had she been up to last night? Why was she just hit in the head with a-.

Wait, what _had_ she been hit in the head with?

She ticked her head to her left, where the object had landed, and found it to be none other than a plump, red apple. Snatching up the fruit and steaming mad, she jumped up and lifted the apple into the air, ready to throw it back at the person who had assaulted her.

"Okay, who the hell threw this at me?" She fumed, quickly surveying her surroundings. A chuckle resonated from before her in the brush, and a shadow emerged from the foliage. Big and blue, cloaked in a black cloak specked with red, puffy clouds, was Hoshigake Kisame.

_In the flesh_. She snipped to herself. She lowered her arm and gripped the apple as the memories from the previous night came washing over her.

Her refusal to an accord on their offer (Or more obviously, demand). Their brief battle, her get-away, and finally her embarrassing capture.

She snorted.

It figured something like that would happen. But then again, she had been too intoxicated to breath right never-mind see. And her passing out only augmented her disdain for the nights events. As she stared down Hoshigake, she idly wondered where the Uchiha was.

" Had a nice nap, onna?" He asked, a snide smirk lifting his lips. Revealed was an array of sharp, pointed teeth that instantly reminded her of where he got his name. She couldn't help but make a face at him as she plopped back down onto the rough ground.

"Would have been better if I hadn't been kidnapped by a pair of jerks." She growled, crossing her legs. "Speaking of which, where's yer friend?" He walked forward, into the small clearing she was situated in, and stopped just before her.

"That's none of your concern." He stated. He walked past her and walked on top of the water. Little waves spread along the smooth, glassy surface of the river in the place where his feet made contact, a small outline of chakra glowing just beneath his soles. "Now that you're awake, we're leaving." She smiled happily.

"Ah! And here I thought you'd actually force me to come along!" She quipped.

"Not so fast, onna. 'We' includes you. Now let's get going." He paused and turned to her, a vicious smirk. "And don't even think of trying to run away. We'll just knock you out and drag you along if you do." Her smile instantly fell into a scowl.

"Come on, at least let me wake up a bit before making me trek along behind you mountain monkeys!" She whined.

"The apple should have been enough of a wake-up call." Twisting her face into an annoyed grimace, she ignored said apple and brushed herself off.

"Not very gentleman like, Hoshigake."

"Whoever said I was a gentleman?" She chuckled and tossed the apple behind her.

"Point taken." She thought for a moment. This moment, though, seemed like a very long time. It seemed, actually, like it lasted several hours.

Saya had realized something she hadn't before, and now that she had, she knew what she had to do. Kisame continued forward, across the wide river, listening for her either running or approaching footsteps. Instead, he heard her solid, serious voice, which rang across the wind. It faintly reminded him of wood chimes.

"Hoshigake-san." A bit surprised, he looked over his shoulder to see the woman standing, arms at her side. Her face was passive as she stared him straight in the eye, unflinching. "I know I can make this hard on you. I can kick and scream. I can trick you and run. I can do a lot of things." She stopped before turning her head. "But I'm not going to."

"Oh?" Her attitude was almost bi-polar. This was why Kisame never really liked women. They were way too wobbly on the emotional scale.

"I'm not going to, but not because I can't. I'll follow you, and do what it is you've called me for. But only because…" Kisame waited for her to continue, but when she stayed silent, he grunted for her attention.

"What, onna?" Her eyes, focused on something far away, snapped back to her surroundings, and she once again met his eyes. However, the serious, sharp shine had faltered, and once again was masked by something else.

"I'll come with you, but only because I expect you to buy me some sake. I'm out of money ." Shrugging, Kisame continued.

"Whatever that means. Now lets get going." Saya watched his back as he walked further across the waters surface.

Was she right in doing this?

She knew what Akatsuki was, though she had given no indication of such knowledge. She wondered whether what she was doing was right., but then again, 'right' was an opinion, a perspective. Maybe this was right, maybe it wasn't. Either way, she was going to follow these men, willingly. Not only because she had nothing better to do, but maybe, just maybe, she could gain from them something she couldn't on her own. She would have to be witty, and on her guard constantly. But if all went well, then perhaps…

She hurried after him, her limbs still stiff from her awkward nights sleep, but she still successfully traveled across the waters surface and fell into pace with him.

Then, out of nowhere, the Uchiha popped out of one of the leafy, over-hanging trees and pounced onto Kisame, dragging him into the river with a splash. Saya stopped, roughly taken off guard, and watched as both men giggled and began a game of splashing one another. Her eyes went as wide as saucers and she frizzled her hair with twitching fingers.

Wait, was she going nuts, or were two, powerful, deadly mercenaries having a girlish moment? Suddenly, both stopped and stared at her, monotone features and voices in harmony as they replied as one.

"No, we're not having a girlish moment. You're just an idiot."

Saya, eyes wide, halted next to Kisame. Her heart was beating, no _thumping_, in her ears as she gripped her head.

"What is it now, onna?" She looked up to Kisame, who was watching her expectantly. She gasped for a bit of air before hitting herself in the head a few times. Then, bending over, she mumbled to herself.

"Damn, that sake still isn't outta my system…!" The dehydration was definitely getting to her.

_Somewhere not too far away, but far enough to make a difference…._

"I hate to walk and walk all day. But still I do it, anyway. 'Cause looking is what makes me go. I look for something that just won't show." Fuu sang to herself as she hopped along the cobbled path. Her settings had drastically changed from the dirt forest, to a bamboo garden: organized and well-kept. She knew she was getting closer to her target, she could feel it, she was sure. But still, she was much too far north to even be excited, or at least, to let the anticipation get to her. A few rays of sunlight streaked down through the reeds and onto her pathway, but most of the trees blocked out the rest of the normal world.

As she hopped along, she noticed a presence just a few paces ahead of her, but she wasn't worried. She knew who it was, anyway.

"Hey Yin-chan!" She giggled as she came upon a lone figure, waiting and facing her in the near-distance. The figure was a little girl, no older than seven, and was deathly pale. Her skin shone as if it were made of pure marble or pearl, without pigment of any kind. Her hair matched her skin, as well, and was poker straight all the way to her mid-shoulders.

She wore a small, baby-blue kimono that revealed a thin form, devoid of any child-like plumpness or roundness. But what stood out the most was her glassy, dull violet iris's: They resembled a dolls eyes, for they held no emotion. No shine. No life. Just as her face, which remained completely indifferent.

"Long time no see!" Fuu chirped, and slowed her hop as Yin followed her at a drawling speed. Both girls seemed like complete opposites: While Yin was small and cold looking, Fuu was dressed in vibrant and tropical hakama pants and a blouse, her blonde hair was in a choppy bun and her blue eyes shined even in the shade. She pointed a tanned finger into the air. "Do you sense her near-by?" She asked, withholding as much enthusiasm as she could. She received no answer from the child, but she took that as a yes. "Can you tell me how far?" Keeping her head forward, she answered.

"Indubitably." She replied, her voice monotone and dry. "Five-hundred and twenty-four point three kilometers south, fifty seven and three quarter kilometers east. They have found and apprehended her." Fuu only smiled wider. She then gave a girlish giggle while covering her lips with a fanned palm.

"Why, that only makes it more fun!"

* * *

There are never happy endings. Because, as long as you're living, there' s shit going on, and so long as that shit's going on, you're still living. Any number of bad things can happen after a single good thing, and unless you happen to die right after that good thing, there's no happy ending. Even then, your death will surely promote some type of sadness in someone else's life: a mother, a father, a sister, a lover. Regardless, there are sad or mad people about, the world goes on, people die, people deceive, people curse and kill. The ending is definitely not happy.

Saya had a billion chances for a 'happily ever after'. But of course, life went on and it wasn't the end. It was only the beginning of another dilemma, another adventure, another plot or ploy to destroy something or kill someone. It was a never-ending cycle of destruction and rebirth.

And personally, Saya hated it.

But, hell, she dealt with it. She learned a long time ago that her happy ending was a fantasy, just something that she could imagine or dream when she had nothing better to do. But the truth didn't keep her from living; instead, she used this realization to be ready for any misfortune or horror that may come of life. But not only the horror of living as well as the death: She learned how to appreciate all the small things that were easily overlooked.

And that made all the difference.

Still, she could have never predicted that Akatsuki would require her services, whatever that may be. In fact, she was, to say the least, astonished when the members came to collect her. Even as she followed close behind the large, blue man, she pondered what they could possibly gain from her.

Not.

She had an inkling.

She had a guess.

But if it was what she thought it was, she was in a tough spot.

No, Saya didn't have some awesome, major cool kekkei genkai. She didn't have any rare eye-type that could enable her to instantly copy others moves, see through walls, kill in a glance, etc. etc.

She wasn't some prodigious master of some hidden technique that was forbidden among all ninja.

She couldn't call upon any massive chakra reserve (In fact, she almost couldn't use it at all. After an accident in her past, her chakra flow was severely damaged, limiting her to only the basic and most trivial jutsu.).

And she definitely wasn't some demon heiress, powerful and deadly. Hell, she didn't even consider herself all that pretty. A drunk is nothing to flirt with, and is if anything, a turn-off.

But there was one thing she did have. It helped make her career, and enabled her to take advantage of many numerous techniques while she could still utilize them. It assisted her in fight technique as well as simple, everyday chores. It also haunted her everyday of her life. It was a simple, little thing. But also something most people didn't have.

But she wasn't going to dwell on that now.

If that was what Akatsuki was after, or rather, if they were after what she remembered, she could avoid it. She had to. If she didn't, well then….

There were worse things than death.

Weren't there?

* * *

Kisame was about as polite as an S-class criminal could get. He cussed on occasion, and resorted to callous methods at times, but for the most part, he was a pretty respectful guy: It was how he was brought up. However, there was one thing that he loved to do, and it wasn't particularly proper.

He had an insatiable appetite for bloodshed.

And at the moment, he was itching to slit that pretty little neck of the woman behind him. And for the record, it was for a just reason.

She wouldn't stop singing.

Okay, so it wasn't like she was pestering him or hounding him with questions as to where they were going.

But that song…..He didn't like to admit it, but it was really creeping him out. It was the same song she had been humming on the beach, and it had a really eerie tune to it. Grinding his teeth, patience wearing thin, he trudged along with her. She was happily skipping at his side, maybe a step or two behind him.

"A day in which she never lives, a day that's never had. A day in which she welcomes home, her lover dressed in clad. Oh what a dearie dragging deep. She festers and she calms. She haunts the shore forevermore, among the swaying palms."

Just as Kisame was about to glare at her, she stopped her tune and they were left in an even eerier silence. "Hoshigake…?"

"Yes?" He answered reluctantly. Now what'd she want? Why couldn't she be a good little kidnapee and be quiet?

"Do you believe in ghosts?" She picked up her step so she walked beside him. As she did, she pulled out a hidden sake bottle from her hakama and took a sip. He barely resisted rolling his eyes. But he was interested by her sudden change of subject, and he couldn't help but answer.

"No. Ghosts are just part of stories to scare small children." He replied. "Why do you ask?" A small, thoughtful smile lifted her lips.

"No reason." She took another sip.


	5. Ch 5: Curiouser and Curiouser

**Yo. I know the chapter sorta drawls, but I actually began this fic with no mind to the plot what-so-ever. So I'm workin on it. **

**Kitten625: Aw, yes. That was exactly what I was going for, ya know? Someone who can be funny, witty, but easily embarrassed. I'm glad ya like it.**

**Tamah: Thanks, Your comment made me get my butt into gear and actually start this chapter, so thanks for the motivation.**

**Oh, And I'm sorry if Italics appear when they aren't meant to. Fanfic is once again my nemesis.**

The forensics behind a death can be quite complex and intricate. There's the DNA, the prints, the evidence of query. But behind all the interesting stuff, corruption festers. There's always one or two sniveling men who attempt to circumvent the law by bribe or boast, perhaps even via witty chicanery.

Know what I mean?

It's easy for the law to be uprooted and decayed through cavity entrenched molars of lies and deceit. But sometimes, on rare occasion, a hero defined by societal terms will step forward and stake a claim upon himself in order to enhance the society, regardless of personal self-sacrifice.

Itachi was one of these few.

There were many things he wished he could take back, what he yearned to relive and perhaps make better. **But**, there were few things he regretted. He had saved his beloved village from Hells fury that was sought to be brought down by his own, too-proud clan. He had prevented a second ninja war, and therefore, spared many, many lives.

But in the process, he left his only brother in a cadaverous mess, without any family or friend, and only murderous memories to haunt him relentlessly. He molded his brother into an avenger, a monster, he was sure. Was it really all for the right? Was his reasoning just?

Of course it was.

…Wasn't it?

Saya had used to extol the way some people drank. After all, drinking wasn't just a verb, it was an art form. There was a certain way in which one should hold their liquor, and how they should not. It required a sense of air, more regal, attuned to the taste of the nectar with in the liquid. One had to allow it to pique the soul and invade the senses, allowing the taste to flood the mind.

Saya, personally, had never mastered any of it. In fact, she just took a swig to be done with it. She had never been a drastic drunk in the past, it was more of a newly acquired habit.

So as she sat down before the crackling fire, the Uchiha, who had previously joined them, and Hoshigake idly exchanging small nods or looks, she realized that she was the only one smiling. She assumed it was from her drink, which she nuzzled closely, but she hated the warmth she felt in the pit of her stomach and coursed through her veins, compared to the cold that seemed to be inflicting harsh gales on the two men. She knew that her chakra was meager, especially compared to Hoshigake, but her conscience tugged at her mightily until she finally broke beneath it.

Kisame mumbled under his breath at the ripping wind that seemed to blow, even through his large form. There was a biting frigidness to the air, and it didn't help that the wind was as strong as a…

Well, it was strong.

And what made him even more agitated was Itachi, impeccable as ever, sitting quietly with closed eyes, seemingly unaffected by the wind, unlike him.

He suppressed a shiver as the small fire seemed to almost blow out. There were few trees around them, for they had stopped in a less dense part of the forest, and were situated in a wide open field.

Suddenly, the wind stopped, almost as if it was never there. The world became muted to the howling gusts, leaving only the newly invigorated flames to fill the void with crackling sniggers. The trees around them continued to twist and shudder in the gusty night, but the three were left unaffected. Taken aback, Kisame instantly shot a glance towards the woman across from them, who calmly took a sip from yet another bottle she seemed to retrieve from no where. She looked innocent enough as she drank deeply, but he knew it to be her who had stopped the wind.

"How did you do that?" He questioned. Without missing a beat, she lift one eye at him.

"Do what?"

"You know what!" He growled, short on patience. She sniggered as she lifted the sake from her lips.

"Your chattering teeth was giving me a head ache." He growled dangerously, but said nothing in reply. Instead, he poked at the fire with a long twig he found next to him and embraced the silence. He idly watched her sip from her bottle. Sip, after sip, after sip, after sip. There was no real blush on her face, and he had to admit that it seemed as though she was holding her own well enough at the moment.

All in all, though, this whole drinking habit was almost disgusting. Why the hell did she drink so damn much? . He cast an eye over to the stoic Itachi, who seemed as though he were peacefully dozing. Kisame knew better though: The Uchiha was alert, as always, only seemingly relaxed.

"Why do you drink so much, onna?" He asked. She gulped down the last of her drink and set it aside, lazily looking back at him.

"Why don't you drink more?" She retorted.

"Answering a question with a question is rude." He grumbled. The fire kicked up a bit as he shoved the rest of the stick into the flames. The muted silence continued a few more moments before he heard her voice. Although, it seemed more that she was talking to herself than actually answering his question.

"I drink to forget. It's easy to forget the past when you're too smashed to remember the present." She stated matter-of-factly. Kisame looked up to her, and quirked a brow.

"And what is it you're trying to forget?" Itachi's voice made her jump a bit, but it was more due to her hiccup than surprise. She began making small waving signals with her hands, creating shadow puppets from the light emitted from the fire.

"Don't we all want to forget something?" She asked cryptically.

Itachi kept his silence, and so did Kisame.

The three strolled along the beaten road. The forest had thinned out to scarcely any tree's, and more of fields of wheat and rice. And as for the strolling, it wasn't so much of that:

Itachi simply took each step at a time.

Kisame trudged, annoyed with all of Saya's comments and quips.

So Saya was actually the only one to do the strolling, and she did so happily.

To tell you the truth, she was actually having a bit of fun. Hoshigake was extremely fun to pester, because he didn't say anything, but merely festered. A thought crossed her mind.

"You guys aren't allowed to kill me, are you?" There was no reply, Itachi just being reserved while Kisame was begrudging to humor her. "Say, where is this clubhouse of yours anyway?"

Again, no answer. She sighed dramatically, and produced yet another gourd of sake from somewhere. She took a swig before motioning to Kisame, who was ahead of her on her left.

"Hoshigake~san, don't you want some sake?" She chirped.

_Yeah, just as soon as I rip out that insolent little mouth of yours._ He glared ahead of himself. Why did he put up with all this childish banter, you ask? Well, for one, every time he went to quip back at her, Itachi sent him a mild glare, warning him that he did not want any arguing of any sort. And as much as he would love to rip off her pretty little head and stuff it into that gourd, he had a mission, one that didn't include killing their objective.

"Hoshigake~san!" She exclaimed. Suddenly, she found herself pinned to the ground, Kisame's large blade at the tip of her chin.

"Onna, one more word and I'll fail my mission, got it?" He snarled. She began to giggle, then she out-right guffawed right into his face.

"I was wondering how long it would take that saintly patience of yours to break!" She laughed. Sneering, he stood upright and kicked her in the side, just for good measure. She gasped and glared at him, but it quickly was replaced with a sly smile. He was about to question her about it when suddenly she was behind him. Quickly, he spun around and swung at her, only for her to dodge it and slide underneath his legs and behind him once more. As she did, she snatched up his cloak and tangled it around his legs, and as she resurfaced behind him, she lightly pushed him forward.

The material caught bewteen his feet and calfs, tripping him a bit before he recovered and turned on her.

His face was masked with pure rage as he stared at her vehemently, retraining himself from ripping her apart.

She smiled and waved.

He growled.

Itachi stepped beside Kisame and watched the woman carefully.

"That's enough." He said, his tone held the finality of the evening. She waved him off and began walking once again, done with having her fun. As she left the pair behind, Kisame mumbled to his partner.

"Can't we at least knock her out and drag her to Leader? Her mouth is getting on my nerves." There was a brief silence before Itachi decided to answer.

"Perhaps talking to her might help." He left it at that and began walking again, before she got too far ahead. Kisame watched Itachi, confused at what his comment meant.

Why the hell would he talk to such a drunk, talkative, unattractive woman?


	6. Ch 6: Backlash

**Hey guys. I really appreciate the rad reviews. No lie, they're the only reason I'm still updating this thing. But onto business: I took a nice long moment to figure out what I'm going to do with this, but at the same time, I'm working on the whole Akatsuki meeting. It's goanna come soon, and what I have in store for the explanation into Saya's past has to do with some old friends. But that won't come till later. Don't worry: I hate those fic's that incorporate awkward OC's that are too surreal to be believable. Trying to humanize her a bit.**

**Tootles.**

* * *

It had been three days since the Uchiha and Hoshigake girl-napped Saya; however, it had been a fairly peaceful three days. They hadn't traveled too much farther, mostly because Saya had been dragging her feet, languid with hangovers on occasion. The fields had thinned from the wheat to just rice, and the single road they traveled led them straight south. She dimly noted that soon they would reach the Sothern coast.

She frowned at that.

As they walked along the solitary path, Saya passively watched the rice patties they passed. The sky was a dismal, dreary grey, the promise of rain was sweet and sure. Even as she thought this, a far off clang of thunder rang through the damp air. Her frown deepened when she realized they were going to have to walk through the rain, what, with no tree cover. Of course, The Uchiha and Hoshigake were comfortably covered by their cloaks and hats; however, Saya's own attire was meager, at best. She still wore the same cotton hakama pants, and her over shirt wasn't very heavy. She glared at the back of both men's heads.

Speaking of jerks, neither one of them had barely spoke a word since Hoshigake snapped at her. It wasn't like she had tried to start up conversation either, though. She had been much too busy reading a strange chakra signature that currently caught her attention. It wasn't so far-off, and it felt very familiar, but she couldn't place it. Very somber, very nostalgic. But she couldn't remember where she knew it from.

The more she focused on it, the more she became frustrated. Exasperated at the thought, she huffed and patted her hips. Glaring at the ground under her, she delved into the past without meaning to. It had been a long time since she left her village, or at least, her ex-village. She shouldn't call it 'her' village anymore; after all, she wasn't welcome any longer. The years of happiness she thought she knew so well seemed bittersweet in her memories.

Being a priestess came with it's advantages and disadvantages, but it was well worth the work. She was born into the role, just as her father had been. She caught a flash of her father in a priestess kimono, which made her inwardly chuckle. Well, now that she thought over it, the term 'priestess' wasn't exactly the right description for what her duties entailed, but that was what she had been considered. The political term she went by was 'Correction Squad Captain Commander'. Her family, dating back to who knows when, were leaders to a squad known for cruel, merciless methods of restricting rogue, S-class, and various other types of criminals. Her job sphere ranged all over the nations: The squad itself was made up of only the strongest, toughest, most cunning ninja in the world. They were trained in the art of honor, code, and clean, orderly pick-up of the scum that wandered mostly the southern nation.

Branches of the squad patrolled other areas and were highly feared or respected, but always one of the two. Saya herself was revered as a child prodigy for handling her fathers affairs after he died from a terrible illness on her ninth birthday. She had all the attributes of a great captain commander: She was strong, agile, quick-witted, law-abiding, strict (Or so she seemed), and an able leader. She could formulate successful battle plans, but most importantly, she was a just and caring person. Therefore, few protested when she inherited her fathers title. Some did, because of her young age, but she had quickly shown them how able she was.

She grew up commanding her squads, correcting the south of the vermin that haunted its depths. Another thing her family was known for was it's certain contract with a certain being. It was what made the family what they were, and because Saya was the last remaining descendent of her family, she was treasured by her village.

But that all changed after her nineteenth birthday.

Shaking her head, she looked back to the rice patties. The tartness of the thought left a bad taste in her mouth, even stronger than the sake.

And then, just because God loved to play with the dramatics of her life, it began to mist, and then pour down rain. She grumbled and retrieved the gourd of sake, taking a deep sip from it to warm herself. She didn't complain, though. She was done having her fun with Hoshigake, and messing with him had lost its spark. At least, for now it had.

As the rain grew harder and the wind picked up, she shivered: the rain was bone-chilling, and the sake was hardly helping.

"There's a small inn coming up. That is where we will spend the night." Itachi informed them, most likely for her sake than Hoshigake's. She thanked him silently and looked forward to an actual room in which she could be sheltered from awkward weather. The south wasn't known to have such terrible and cold weather, especially during the middle of the summer. The wintry chill that the breeze carried also held a nostalgic aura to it, but Saya disregarded it. It was probably just her exhaustion getting to her, anyhow.

* * *

After they purchased a single room, which Saya was just fine with, she settled in one of the corners near a window. The wind had picked up immensely, and the rain had turned to icy hail., which clicked and clanged against the roof of the inn. It was two stores, and was comprised of a total of twelve rooms. It was a ma and pop inn, and was fairly small: perfect for S-class criminals and a kidnapped woman to hide in.

Saya idly sipped her drink, and watched as the two men settled themselves. The Uchiha sat at a low, traditional tea table while Hoshigake cleaned his sword on the queen-sized bed. The room was slightly musty, and a damp air could be felt in the bones, but it was much better than being out in the storm. Saya closed her eyes slowly, shifting to get more comfortable in her corner.

"Hey onna." Figured. The one time she wanted some quiet and the blue wonder decides to interrupt the silence that had been in play for days.

"Mhm." She mumbled, eyes still shut as she adjusted the turban on her head.

"…Never mind." Her eyes snapped open as she sent a pointed glare at the oblivious man.

"What's up with that?" She demanded.

Kisame looked up from his work and returned the woman's pointed gaze.

"I said _Never. Mind._" He growled at her. She was about to snap back at him, but decided against it, and instead took another long swig. She looked back out the window and watched as the hail grew more intense. The world seemed doubled over in a mist, enshrouded by a cold, frosty chill that intertwined with the air and froze the earth. The world seemed cut off from her, and she from it.

Something was wrong. Oh so very wrong.

But she couldn't put her finger on it. The strange weather, the chakra signatures. What was up? She delved deep into her mind, shutting her eyes softly, and concentrated on the world. The reason she made such a competent leader was due to her ability to see past the physical, and inspect the rational, the being of things, and the situation in all its aspects. In fact, what she was doing now was her own version of the meditative state: Basically, she was reading the life around her by focusing on aura. It was a rare form of meditation by younger folk, but most elderly knew it well as a type of relaxation technique.

It was hard at first, she hadn't attempted it for a very long time, and her senses were dulled by the liquor. Still, she focused her attention on the air around her. The feel of the damp floorboards beneath her, the chill in the wet air, the almost non-existent breath of the Uchiha, and the calm heaves from Hoshigake. The crunching echo from Samehada being cleaned with an extra sheet from the closet, the curve of the gourd in her hand. The little indents and grooves from the patterns along its surface, and the clicking of the mighty hail against the frosted window. The-

No, no, no. She scowled. She had to focus on the bigger picture, not the details. She had to feel her surroundings, not inspect them. Her muscles were tense with effort, and her face was scrunched. She had to relax, or this wouldn't work. Taking in a deep breath, adjusting her position so she straightened herself off the wall and crossed her legs, she tried again. She let out her breath, and with it, her muscles loosened up, all the pent up strain in her previous effort released. Her face smoothed out and she began to experience all that was around her.

She delved, deeper into herself, and deeper into the whole of the beings that made up the life that surrounded her. Letting her mind lax, she expanded her essence and floated above her body, and beyond she brushed against the aura of the closest around her. Near her left, there was a small brownish yellow color, barely pulsing, more of a glow like a firefly. It shuffled a bit here and there, and she identified it as a bug of some sort. She began to loose focus again as she questioned the cleanliness of the inn, but caught herself before she broke yet again from her state.

She broadened her view, and the next thing she came across was a vibrant cerulean, which pulsated with defined wisps of what looked like a heartbeat. The aura was large in standards that she had previously come across. The blue was thriving with life, and it expanded most of the area around her., flooding the room like an ocean.

Hoshigake.

Among the massive blue were two other colors.

One was a muddy red, more rust colored than anything, and instead of pulsing, it simply wavered. More like a candle flame in the expanse of midnight, it was a steady glow against Hoshigakes aura. It seemed dignified, strong, but there was a melancholy tone to it that seemed to pore out and slightly invade the area around it.

Then there was a violet purple. It seemed even dimmer than the other two, and was much, much smaller. It wavered and trickled listlessly into itself instead of the area around it. However, deep within its core, there was a sturdy flame of pure purple.

This aura was hers.

As much fun as it was inspecting others souls, this wasn't what she had been looking for. She expanded herself more and more. There were three other auras residing in the inn, then more outside it. All the ones outside were miniscule, representing the various animals scattered about and probably seeking shelter from the pellets of sleet.

_I still need more,_ She thought to herself. More and more, she broadened her view.

Meanwhile, Itachi had felt a prod. Something was watching him. All of them. He opened his eyes and observed the room. Kisame continued to polish his blade, although the blood was already gone, and had not seemed to notice the presence as Itachi had. He then traveled his gaze over to the woman. She sat in the corner, near the window, and had strict posture. Her lax hands barely clung to the sake bottle.

She seemed to be resting, or meditating. He continued to sweep his gaze over the room until he heard a soft clunk against the wood floor.

Both he and Kisame snapped their eyes to where the sound came from, and found that the sake gourd had slipped from the woman's grasp and was currently leaking onto the floor.

Saya's view only got larger and larger as a mental map construed before her. The land rolled out, and the many little dots of wildlife went ignored as she searched for the aura of the chakra she had felt earlier. Just as she was about to give up, two distinctly larger colors came into her minds eye, and she almost chuckled in satisfaction. She then focused in on the two, both which were not so far away, but enough to make the focusing a bit difficult. One color was a misty white, which seemed to dissipate from itself like a clearing fog, while the other was a tropical yellow, bright and almost blinding. Similar to staring at the sun.

As she zoomed in on them, she was suddenly halted by some unknown force. Like an invisible wall, she was blocked. Mentally frowning, she attempted to push against it, but it was as solid as steel.

Then, there was a voice.

"_It's not polite to eavesdrop, Saya~chan!" A sharp, tearing pain ripped through her being as she was cast back to her body. She gasped and tore open her eyes as the terrorizing pain invaded her entire being. Her brain felt like it was being clawed, torn to shreds and ripped through her nostrils as she choked on her air. She was thrown back against the wall, and just barely withheld a shriek as her head whipped and was bashed against the hard plaster. She slumped down and tried to control her uneven breathing. Her lungs panged with sharp stings, which made all this very hard._

_Itachi was immediately by her side, his Sharringan activated and inspecting her body. She had been peacefully sitting there one moment, and the next she was like this. It seemed as though something had smacked her, or punched her. Kisame didn't react as quickly, but he did rise from the bed and walk to the corner, leaving Samehada on the bed. The sake gourd was rolled aside as he approached, and completely emptied itself onto the floor. _

_Saya grinded her teeth as she tried to sit up, finding both men giving her speculative looks. She used her palms to straighten herself up and used the wall to support her back. _

"_Are you okay?" Itachi questioned. There was no concern in his voice. It was just an inventory question. She was about to answer him, but as she opened her mouth to give a sly retort, she grimaced as a backlash wave of nausea flooded her senses. She quickly controlled it, wanting very much not to empty her stomach onto the Uchiha, as she assumed he wouldn't like that very much. _

"_D-Damn. That's one hell of a drink." She hollowly joked, hoping they wouldn't pry anymore if annoyed with her sarcasm. Kisame grunted and plopped back down on the bed, continuing cleaning his sword. But Itachi remained where he was and watched as she recovered from the pain._

"_What were you doing?" He interrogated her. She let out a long sigh, expelling the last of the pressure, and looked into his eyes fearlessly. She smiled._

"_Nothing I wasn't supposed to be doing, Uchiha-san." She cradled her head. "Nothing at all."_

* * *

_But that isn't quite right, you see. She did something she would have been better off not doing at all. _

_Saya couldn't recall the voices owner, but the voices owner knew quite well who Saya was._

_And the voices owner could only grin as she thought of the coming reunion that they would soon encounter. But with a resonated sigh, the owner knew that reunion was still a ways off. _


	7. Ch 7: Farewell, Cosette

**I'll warn you guys now: There may be italics where italics know they shouldn't be. Don't know why, once again, but they go where they shouldn't like pesky little children in the mall or in a slaughter house. Anyways, most of the beginning is supposed to be italics, just fyi. That's it. And thanks for the reviews guys: They're the only reason I update.**

* * *

_The voice that awoke the slumbering memories of the times spent so sullenly and ignorantly, blatantly received without suspicion or reproach as to when they would end. Why is that the times ahead of us look so sweet, but are snatched away without the slightest remorse by God, destiny, fate, or whatever you deem fit to name it? Why do the forces in the world oppose the happiness of so many so mercilessly? Can we fight against this ever flowing attack of misery and languid death?_

_Or more importantly, does it matter?_

As much as Saya would love to always be as she appears, facetiously unaware to the troubles of the universe, she was actually quite the opposite.

_Will those of us set up, falsely accused of unjust crimes be forever banished from the realm of peace, or shall we be acquitted before we are completely lost? Is that sanity so freshly decomposed, rotting and wafting the stench of remorse and regret to forever cling to the dear memories we treasure? Can the past be so painful?_

_Of course._

_The past amities now rigid and austere with the strict understanding of shame and foul deeds that were never really committed. A red herring to pass the blame, and to divert the hate in order to burrow into the unsuspecting, naïve hearts of the masses?_

Expected.

_The truth never quite as candid as it seems, and enshrouded by secrets and lies. Instead, a plotting villain schemes and construes dynamic accusations powerful enough to belittle even the grandest of creatures. Thus, the fiend has coerced the glories of the worshipped to be swept under the moldy carpet of corruption. The hero left in destitute solitude, cast out by its own people, and unable to protect or warn them of the treachery abound to arise. _

So what?

_If those damned fools were stupid enough to eat out of the palms of such a being, then to Hell with them all! Let them be condemned to death and destruction, and let them rot in the confines of their own pretentious judgment!_

_That's what she should think, right?_

But she didn't.

Saya didn't think that at all, not even for a moment. The soul-wrenching regret for not doing more constantly ate at her. It-

No. That was enough. It was time to wake up.

* * *

Saya awoke to the silent musings of the Uchiha and an empty bed, the room sans Hoshigake. As she sat up and stretched out from her corner, she retrieved another gourd and took a long swig. It wasn't often that her dreams haunted her: this dream had been vivid. The plethora of thoughts crowding her head buzzed noisily, bouncing along the confines of her throbbing skull. The rabble of the memories, screams and curses, seemed to linger in her nebulous mind. Just as soon as she thought she slammed and locked a door to prevent anymore onslaught, another opened, allowing for more to rush upon her. Saya had been fighting an internal battle with the sins of others for a very long time now, and she had always been able to circumvent the final blow to her memories. These battles were harsh and hard to withstand.

And now, Saya was losing.

Soon, she would deteriorate and no longer be a decent human being. Hell, who was she trying to kid? She wasn't decent now. The memories were formidable and she was fortuitous to have won against them for so long without breaking.

But she was reaching her limit, and it was due time for her to fall. But could it not have been at a better time? Seriously, she did _not_ want to fall prey to her mind, lest in front of the eyes of these men. Speaking of which, she eyed the Uchiha as he took a small glance her way as well.

"How are you feeling?" It was a simple question. He had asked it innocently. There was no double meaning, no malice. In fact, it was quite gentlemanly for him to ask it. In lube of that fact, Saya hid her grimace and grinned.

"As fit as a fiddle. I'm ready for anything." She remarked with false arrogance, jabbing a thumb at herself. As she did, a door in her mind creaked open, and a particular memory jabbed behind her eyes. Hiding the pain, she gulped, in a really unfeminine manner, and threw her head back, downing the rest. It _had_ been full.

Itachi watched as Saya attempted to hide her grimaces, but his eyes were sharp. They may not have been as sharp as they used to be, but they were keen enough to catch her jerky movements and false self-confidence.

Her eyes were dull, and wracked with pain.

Itachi would wonder what exactly it was she was so troubled by, but he could personally care less. She was a mission, and that was the only thing she was. As soon as they handed her over to Leader, they would probably see the last of her, and that would be the end of the Chapter on Imatsura Sayuri.

"Uchiha, as much as I appreciate your pitiless stare, I would like to ask you a question." She brought him from his musings as she dragged herself over to the opposite side of the table and watched him, another refilled gourd already in her palm. He waited for her to continue. "Your organization…" She paused, thoughtful. "It…it can hide things, right?" It was an odd question, but she waited for his response.

"Hn." She took that as a confirmation. Nodding, she touched the side of her nose sidetracked.

"I know, at least I like to _think_ I know, what your people are aiming for. I know what you're after, in the very least." Itachi's gaze hardened. She knew she shouldn't be talking anymore, revealing any part of her intelligence to this man. It could very well lead to her demise, if they figured out how much she knew. Which wasn't much, but enough to lose one's pretty little head. Her eyes were closed, her thoughts intensifying.

But…

The chakra signature, and the aura's voice….

"Assuming your leader wants me alive, and to be alive for an extended period of time, I want to know if…. What I'm asking is if Akatsuki can bind a person's aura." Her eyes snapped open, and shined with a foreign flare of life. Itachi regarded her for a moment before standing and walking out of the room. Saya watched as the door closed, bewildered.

What had his panties in a twist?

* * *

The migraine long forgotten, Saya was in a convivial mood, and as the three walked along the soggy road, she happily noted the strange weather had dissipated and all that was left was a big blue sky and a bright, warm sun! She swung her arms and hummed a tune, taking the occasional sip from her drink.

Kisame looked back at her, and couldn't decide if he was amused or annoyed with her bright attitude.

"What's got you so happy, onna?" Saya paused in mid-sip and regarded Kisame with a shine in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey. I think it's about time we refer to each other by our names, ne?" She trotted in front of the two men, making them stop in their tracks. With a very serious face, she stuck out her hand. "My name is Imatsura Sayuri, but you can call me Saya!" Her face broke out in a grin as she waited for Kisame's response.

"It's been five days now, and you just now decide to do this?" He asked, scowling.

"Hey! At least I'm trying to be nice, yeah? It's better than me being a bad hostage!" She argued.

" And what makes you think you're a good hostage?" Her grin never faltered as Itachi walked past her, ignoring their conversation. "Oi! I thought we were going to introduce ourselves!" She exclaimed. Kisame chuckled at her reaction and followed Itachi.

"You already know our names, don't you?"

"Yeah, but if you guys don't give me your names, then it's like I'm not allowed to use them!" She stopped a moment, a watery look in her eyes. "Don't you want to be friends?" He barked a dry, sarcastic laugh.

"Friends? Onna, you're whacked. What makes you think we want to be _your_ friends?" As she skipped to catch up with him, she swiped her nose, an even brighter shine in her eyes.

"Because one day, when you're in a tight spot, you're gonna need my help, and if we're not friends, why would I help ya?"

"Tch. Do you know who you're talking about, onna?" He scowled again at her, his patience wearing thin. For some reason, the very presence of this woman annoyed him.

"And I thought I said to call me by my name! It's S-A-Y-A!" She snapped at him.

"I'll call you whatever I feel like calling you, O-N-N-A!" An electric current crackled between them.

"Bastard."

"GakI."

"Snaggle-tooth."

"Dumb Drunk."

"Son of a-!" Saya was interrupted by Itachi's quiet but commanding voice.

"Silence is golden." Both she and Kisame watched the retreating back of the Uchiha as he continued walking. She glanced back up at Kisame. She had never had a chance to really inspect the blue man, but now that she was so close, she could see that his skin was actually very pretty. It was an ocean blue, almost like the color of the level of water just below the surface, and it was clear of almost any blemish, surprisingly. Of course, she would never tell him that, unless she wanted her head lopped off.

And curiously enough, his hair was blue as well, but a navy blue rather than the tone of his skin. Sensing her inspecting gaze, he looked back down to her, a scowl still present.

"What are you looking at, gakI?" Smiling slyly as though she knew something he didn't, she began walking and ignored his question. Shrugging, he followed behind her as they neared their destination, where Kisame was sure he would see the last of the strange, annoying woman.

Man was he wrong.

But I'll save that for the next chapter.

Not.

I know this chapter was short, so I'll add a little something-something for your delight.

The sun was setting, the end of yet another day of traveling. Besides the mornings rabbles, there hadn't been any serious source of conflict between neither Kisame nor Saya, but minor tufts had arisen. An argument over the best beach in the Mist, a debate over the quality of Sothern fruit, etc., etc. Nothing of any real importance. So when they settled down for the night, a steady flare from a fire alight and the sun barely visible, Saya decided to pop the question.

"Are we there yet?" Of course, she wasn't anxious to arrive at Akatsuki, after all, she didn't know if she'd live to tell the encounter. However, she was really hoping they didn't go anymore south than they already were. They were just a few miles away from Omashu….

"Once we reach the coast, we will be at our destination." Itachi answered in a soft voice. Instantly, and without meaning to, Saya frowned. If they neared the coast, then they might run the risk of bumping into some of her old accomplices. And it would be bad enough that they would see her period, never mind see her with two S-class criminals. Her frown deepened, but she said nothing. She retrieved her gourd and drank.

"Hoshigake, Uchiha." She called. Both men looked to Saya. "What made you join Akatsuki?" Little did she know how bad a question that was, at least for Itachi. Regardless, she awaited their reply. Looking to his partner, Kisame was about to tell her it was none of her business, but Itachi surprised him by answering.

"To save someone." Cryptic as his answer was, Saya didn't delve into an elaboration, and accepted his answer. She nodded understandingly, and turned to Kisame, awaiting for him to answer as well. He figured what the hell, and grinned at her.

"I love to fight." It was simple, sweet, and to the point, but he added, "It's the only thing I know how to do."

"Why?" She asked. Shrugging, he relaxed into the tree behind him. They had situated themselves amongst a few small trees, all of which were leafy and strung with some kind of berry. The rice patties had long since vanished, leaving only open terrain. It would usually be a bad choice to be so out in the open, but Itachi had cast a small genjutsu in case of intruders, and so they were comfortably rested for the night.

"Why not?" Kisame countered. That struck a chord in Saya. She had always been very passionate about life, and a heat began to fluster inside her breast, spreading throughout the rest of her limbs.

"Because!" She argued, "Killing, while occasionally considered an art form, is senseless. It takes love, devotion, and usually two forms of life to create just one, and even after any life has been sired, it takes a great amount of energy and effort to sustain that life. Whether a plant or a human being, life needs water, nutrients, love. And any simple factor can come along and destroy life! An ignorant man who happens to squash a flower on the way to work, or some creep who gets a kick out of watching children cry before they utter their last scream. It is so much harder to give life than take it." She paused for a breath. Realizing how heated her tone had gotten, she blushed a bit and looked off to the side. This was just like the old days, before all of the lies and deceit. Shrugging it off, she looked back at Kisame, a pointed stare. "So why not preserve life so easily taken, ne?" She quickly decided to cover up her devotion towards her old beliefs, and gave an arrogant smirk at the man. This is what she used to believe in. This is what used to drive her. This is what resolved her to take the lives of so many criminals.

_Not anymore, _She reminded herself. Not anymore.

Kisame regarded her for a moment. The life which flared up, and the heated tone of her voice surprised him. It was unexpected that a woman such as herself, always hiding from the world and the life in it with liquor, would dictate something like this to anyone. He knew what it took to take a life, and he enjoyed every second of it. But what Saya hadn't grasped was the fact that Kisame didn't go around murdering innocent men, women and children, at least, for the most part. Akatsuki was an organization for hire, of course, but for hire to assassinate someone that had something to do with corruption.

Regardless, she was being a complete hypocrite saying all of this, and he was about to call her out on it until he saw the look on Itachi's face.

"Tch, whatever you say, onna." Saya held back a chuckle. She knew what her little speech made her look like: A complete and utter charlatan. And he was right, she was being hypocritical. But she had her reasons for being the way she was, and she was glad the Uchiha had sent that glare at Hoshigake, keeping him silent.

"I thought I said my name was Saya." She murmured languidly.

The chakra she had sensed the day before seemed to have disappeared. Poof. No trace of it was around, and neither was that weather. The air was humid and hot, characteristic of the south, and the foliage wasn't as dense as the north, but soon they would be upon tropical plants and flowers. Her thoughts began to wander, her drink making it easier to face these thoughts, and ironically she noticed a certain bush to her left, at the foot of a tree. The tree was small, just beginning to truly grow, and the bush was petite. Thin vines ran from its base up along the trunk and to the frail arms of the tree. Only a single flower bloomed from one of the vines, and it was ghostly. The veins could be seen beneath the white petals, and were a pale pink, like the veins of a naked animal. In the middle of the flower was a growth, and took a shape that reminded Saya of a tear drop. She stroked one of the petals. What a nostalgic plant.

"Do you know why they call this flower Rabasabishii?" She asked them softly. Itachi watched her blank face as she touched the petals with such caution that it looked like she was afraid they would rip in her grasp. Kisame grunted. He could care less. He was still a little ticked off that he couldn't shove the woman's words back in her face.

"They are native to my homeland, here in the south. _The Lonely Lover. _It is called this because it mostly grows on the cliffs on the ocean. The vines root them into the rocks, allowing them to endure the gales from the sea." She dropped her hand back into her lap. "They resemble the woman, pure and strong, enduring her wait for her lover to come home from the ocean." She paused and switched her gaze to the fire. "They are also the last thing a woman will see before falling to her death, tired of waiting for his return."


	8. Ch 8: Precarious Meanings

"We should arrive at our destination within the afternoon." Saya twitched slightly at the Uchiha's words. They had sped through the rest of their journey, and it had only been two whole days since her little infomercial to the two men. She could hardly believe how quickly, and silently it had went by. The war in her mind was deteriorating her from the inside out, and she was content with just simply following the mercenaries footsteps rather than pestering Hoshigake.

She was tired, constantly drunk or hung-over, and languid in all of her limbs. Of course, she didn't let an ounce of this show, or at least, she tried not to let it. She still had some pride left in her carcass, and she sure as hell wasn't gonna let these men see her fall from grace. Regardless of her state of mind, she could still feel the Uchiha's gaze that would settle on her every so often, and Hoshigake's glares that would penetrate her form in her sleep. She paused.

Penetrate? Yeah, there was a better word she could use in place of that, and one that wouldn't make it sound like she was being sexually assaulted.

Just the night before, as she was just about to doze off against the trunk of a dying tree, she felt a harsh glare centered at her back, and it sent chills down her spine. She instantly knew it was Hoshigake. For some, very confusing reason, she got the notion that the man hated her.

Or at least, he hated her guts.

She smirked.

Or maybe it was just the fact that she had bested him three times now, and with the help of his own partner in their latest round. Yeah, that could be a possibility.

But soon they would arrive at this so called base, and she would have to face her most-likely demise. Then again, their leader did want her alive; but when she would refuse to comply, she was sure she would be murdered. So that's what left her off where she was: Would she agree to whatever it was Akatsuki wanted, or would she refuse them, like her past self would have?

Because if she was right, and she was very sure she was, Akatsuki wanted her for her known trait. And like she said before, she wasn't some awesome superpower, demon, or major character in anyone's story: She was simply good at what she did. And while what she did was quite the…unique maneuver, it was still something just about anyone could do. The only catch was that for just anyone to do it, they had to first learn and remember it. And that was what most didn't have the chance to achieve.

She sighed.

So yes, technically she could be considered 'valuable'. As she thought this, she unconsciously brought her hands up and made quotation gestures with a sour face, little did she know a certain Uchiha was watching her little charade out of the corner of one bloody red eye.

What pish-posh. She wasn't special, not at all.

If she was, she would have been able to handle her past, and maybe things would have worked out differently. She would have been able to handle the situation she was given, and she would have been able to wriggle her way past her obstacles and into the light of glory.

Sighing animatedly, she sagged her shoulders and let out a big huff.

What a crock of bull.

'Glory'? Yeah, fat chance of her getting any piece of _that_. There is no glory for drunks and beggars, only half-dreamed dreams and wishes to ponder, and wonder the endless abyss of what could have been, but never will be. And let's face it, Saya was one hell of a drunk.

"What's bothering you?" The Uchiha's voice brought Saya out of her musings suddenly, as if blowing a heavy fog right out of the air. She looked forward and saw that he had not turned to watch her, but rather kept his face forward and walked on without pause.

"I was…Thinking." She finished lamely.

"Tch. I'm surprised." Kisame grumbled. She raised a brow, as if to ask why. "I didn't see any smoke coming out of your ears." Well, there was definitely smoke puffing out now. Saya balled her fists and gave the blue man a forced cheeky grin.

"Huh? What's that? I think I hear a mosquito, buzzing somewhere in the distance." She cocked her head to the side and cupped her ear. "_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz_." She pursed her lips and made a face.

"More like the voice of reason." Kisame retorted.

"The voice of reason? Please." Saya wagged her finger. "If the voice of reason had a voice like yours, the world would be thrust into chaos. No one with a sane mind would listen to something like you." A deep growl began to form in the back of Kisame's throat. It was guttural, and ready to snarl some sort of clever comeback at Saya, but Itachi intervened with a soft cough.

"Thinking?" Saya almost guffawed at the priceless rage on Kisame's face, and at the soft bridging the Uchiha created to change the topic. But the blue man never challenged his younger partner, and Saya realized that either Kisame respected the young man, or he really liked him.

"Yes," She chuckled, "I was thinking."

"About?" Saya sighed.

"A lot of things. Mostly on how I was going to avoid your leaders wrath when I refuse him what he presumably wants." She itched her nose with her knuckles. The skin around her nostrils was dry, and really needed some sort of moisturizer. A bird screamed hoarsly, gliding along the wind above them, and swooping down into a hoard of bushes.

Kisame was about to ask her just what it was that he wanted, but caught himself. If he asked, then it would be acknowledging that they themselves didn't know specifics. And knowing the woman's arrogant attitude, she would probably make fun of him for being out of the loop. If he was going to get anything out of her, then he'd have to try and play it off like he already knew.

"Oh? And just why do you _think_ he wants, hm?" He threw her a knowing grin and raised a brow. Watching for the bird to resurface, Saya distractedly answered.

"Like I'd tell you. You know that I know that you don't know why he wants me, and I'm not going to entertain your attempt to play it cool, Hoshigake." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hey, you're from Konoha, aren't ya Uchiha?" Itachi didn't reply. He had no wish to pursue the topic of his home village, lest of all with this woman. Still, Saya took it as a confirmation, and continued. "Didn't that place get attacked by a bijuu not too long ago? I heard from the villagers a couple of years ago that it fucked up Konoha pretty bad." He still didn't answer. "I came across a bijuu once. She was woman, and when I met her I was supposed to take her into custody. She had been missing for a while, and her village thought she had become a rogue shinobI. Turned out she just stopped along the way home to visit some friend of hers." Shaking her head, she noticed the bird was still submerged. "Anyway, when I confronted her, she did the strangest thing. Instead of defending herself or attacking, she…asked me to join her for tea." Saya started chuckling inside of her palm. "I was so taken aback, I almost fell. She had a tea set and everything…" Sighing at the fond memory, Saya wrapped her arms around the back of her head and decided to turn her attention towards the sky.

"Custody? What were you, some sort of anbu or something?" Saya glared back at Kisame.

"Is that seriously the only thing you got out of all that?" She harped, shooting him an annoyed look.

"Yeah, 'cause the rest of what you said was trash. Just about anything that comes outta your mouth is." Saya bristled, and was about to spit shoot a nice, gooey piece of phlegm at him, until she saw the bird launch itself into the sky. She hadn't gotten a good look at it before, and that was why she was watching out for it. She ran ahead of the two men and shielded her eyes from the suns rays as she gazed at it gliding through the air. It had plum purple feathers, with a patch of lilac on the back if its head. And while it looked more like a hunter, rather than a song bird, its voice was as light and had a bright tune to it. She grinned up at it and jumped into a nearby tree, temporarily forgetting her escorts.

She really wanted to get a closer look at it, because if it was the bird she thought it was…

She didn't use chakra to climb the tree, she had too little to spare of that; instead, she hopped from limb to limb on a brief surge of adrenaline, almost loosing her balance twice due to her slight drunken state. The tree was very large, one of the bigger tree's that made up the dense foliage around them, and by the time she got to the top, she was worried that maybe the bird would be out of sight. But as she popped up from the leaves, she instantly caught the birds movement just above her as it descended onto a tree across from her. It perched on a bare branch and ruffled its wings. A large gold eye peered at her before focusing on something on the ground.

Yes! Her grin widened as she excitedly watched it prim itself before taking off again. Her grin softened as she watched it soar, and suddenly, she felt a tear stroll down her cheek. She quickly rubbed it away, before catching the last glimpse of the falcon before it disappeared entirely.

Ginza. That was the birds name, or at least, it used to be.

"_Hey, Sayuri-dono!" _

"_Yo." Saya approached a young man, probably just touching his early teenage years. His mousy brown hair was messy, and stuck up in all directions, almost like he had forgotten to brush it. The boy himself was mostly plain: His eyes were a muddy brown, and his skin was speckled with dirt almost all the time. At the moment, he was struggling with what looked like some sort of giant rat to Saya, and the smile on his face with his current position made her smile back fondly. _

"_Whatcha up to, Jin?" The boy, Jin, frowned a little as he tried to position himself to face the girl he'd known his whole life._

"_Sayuri-dono, you know you shouldn't talk like a mere commoner." The bird squawked, annoyed with the boy's grip, and tried to peck at his hands. The boy swiftly avoided them, however, and he quickly restrained the animal. Saya scratched her head and raised a brow._

"_I didn't know we could have giant rodents as pets in the manor." She asked, stopping beside the boy. The boy chuckled and stroked the feathers, calming it instantly down. The plumage was a bit dirty, probably from the recent rain storm, and it seemed like the left wing was damaged. _

"_It's not a rodent, Sayuri-dono. It's a hawk."_

"_And what're ya gonna do with it?" _

"_Well," He paused, a gleaming look in his eye, just like all the other times when he got excited about something. "I'm hoping I can heal his wing, and set him free." Saya cupped her chin and gave the thing a bored glare._

"_How troublesome. You should be concentrating on training, not playing with rats." As if insulted, the bird sent Saya a menacing glare and screeched, flapping its wings. _

"_I promise, Sayuri-dono, it won't get in the way of my studies." He gave her a solemn look, and it couldn't help but make her laugh. He looked at her questioningly. "…Sayuri-dono?" _

"_Ora, ora, ora. I thought I told you before. Don't call me so formally. It makes me feel like an old woman or something!"_

She heard a rustle in the leaves as a strong breeze brushed by.

The memories were so rugged now, it hardly stung her heart. But if the bird was near, then that also meant her ex-village was very close.

She sighed and shrugged. It wasn't her problem, not anymore. Why was she so worried? She settled her ties long ago, and he wouldn't go out of his way and make trouble for himself by messing with her. He and his lackeys-.

Saya's eyes opened a fraction wider.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

How could she have forgotten the chakra, never mind that annoying voice?

Her mind flew. There were two chakra signatures, and if she was right, and she knew she was, the other brat was with her. But why had they'd been so far away from home? And why was it that she hadn't realized this before?

Saya was completely confused (As I know all of you guys are. But don't worry, all will be explained soon). They couldn't have anything to do with her, after all, their master was the one who forced her to leave the village. It was probably just coincidence that they were in the area. Then again, the last time she left things to coincidence, she ended up in a hell hole of trouble. But even if they had been after her, she could handle herself against the two brats, regardless of how 'powerful' they had become or how much they had honed their skills.

She _was _good at running away, after all.

But how would that play out with Akatsuki? Or better yet, how could she use her situation to her advantage?

"Oi, Onna! Hurry up, we don't have all day!" Kisame's voice called her away from her daunting thoughts, silencing the murmurs in her mind.

"Yeah, yeah, Fish-Face. I'm coming!" She yelled. She pranced off of her branch and landed as softly as she could next to the two men. Itachi looked as monotone as ever, but Kisame's eye had been twitching slightly from impatience.

" 'Bout time you hauled your carcass down from there. Just what the hell were you doing?" Saya dusted herself of with a pat as she straightened herself out. Then, she gave him a grin.

"I was trying to get away from the stench of low tide, and breathe a breath of fresh air, Mr. Grumpy Gills." Kisame glared at the woman, but decided to say nothing. It was killing him to ignore her jibe, but he had concluded something…

"Yeah, you just keep up the jokes. I'm not gonna stoop down to your level by acknowledging them." He retorted. Saya chuckled but otherwise remained silent as they picked up their walk again. Her thoughts were clouded by 'If's' and 'Why's'. There were so many possibilities laid before her, so many different roads she could decide to travel. But which one? She used to fight for justice, but now what did she live for? She had been a vagabond for many years now, and besides saving the occasional kitty from a tree, she hadn't really committed herself to any heroics.

Although her past self wouldn't have approved, she had blatantly ignored major crimes, after all, they were just too troublesome. She simply didn't want to get involved in too much work, regardless of how wrong the bad guy was, and so she had repented through small deeds. But now what?

What was she going to do now? The Akatsuki was a criminal group, completely and utterly ruthless. Suddenly, someone's voice entered her mind as she pondered this.

And she grinned, teeth wickedly shining as she realized how simple the answer was. This was most definitely her chance. Karma, however fake it was, was finally giving her a shot at revenge. But it wasn't just revenge she was after: She could actually….

"Oi, hot-rods." Itachi and Kisame ignored her beckon as they calmly strolled before her. Her grin widened at her reckless choice. To hell with plans, to hell with reason: Half her life was already gone (She was bound to die at a young age, especially when factoring in the amount of liquor she consumed) so why not make the most of what was left, ne? "How well does Akatsuki pay?"

* * *

"_Yo! Saya!" Saya looked back towards the manor, the oceans spray blowing at her from behind. An older Jin jogged down the sand and stopped just before her, huffing slightly. Then, looking up, he smiled._

_**Thanks for the cool reviews, and I'm sorry this took so long to get up. I've just been doing other things. Regardless, I've already started on the next chapter, and it'll be a doosey.**_


	9. Ch 9: Dealing With Demons

"_Saya…" Saya looked up from her book, the sun shining down from a gap in the cloudy sky. The tree above her gently swayed as a breeze whispered by as Jin was watching her from a rock among the sea oats, his once boyish looks and lanky body had filled out to battle-hardened muscles and a handsome face. _

"_You're worse than a horsefly, Jin. Can't you see I'm tryin to read?" She held a mock frown as she shook her book in emphasis. _

"_Yeah, but you're just as bad when I'm trying to train." He countered with a grin. "All you ever want to do is read anyway. Let's play a game of tag."_

"_Fine." She sighed, snapping her book shut with a flick of her wrist. She stood, and in an instant, was crouching beside him, watching the opposite way: Her speed never ceased to amaze him. "But tell me, Jin, can you keep up?" With that, she flashed away, a ghost of a giggle the only thing for him to chase. He smiled and stood as well._

_Let the chase begin._

* * *

"So this is your awesome secret hideout?" Saya and the two men stood before a giant tree that was laced with a weird looking fruit. It sort of reminded Saya of plums, or a mix between eggplant and grape. But that was it. The surrounding area consisted of few other tree's, a few bushes, and then this, thing. The tree was at least twenty Hoshigake's wide, and the tip top of the branches were not visible to her from the ground. But really, other than that, it was a normal tree. "You're kidding me right?"

"No, this isn't a joke, you fool." Kisame grumbled, ready to ditch the woman. He threw Itachi a glance, and with a nod, he made a hand signal. Saya watched him, and for a moment nothing happened. But then, a slight tremor shook the ground beneath her feet, and only for a second. She didn't know what to expect, but she assumed some sort of cool jutsu would rip a giant hole in the tree or a magic door would appear. What she didn't expect, however, was something large, furry, and something equipped with sharpened nails to land right on her face. She shrieked and began to flail her arms wildly, attempting to get whatever it was off of her. But the thing had latched onto her face with those pointy nails, and began to scratch her face violently. Kisame began laughing, he couldn't keep it in, and Itachi sighed as the woman made circles around them.

Finally, she chucked the thing off of her and huffed animatedly, glaring with tears pricking her eyes as she looked at what had invaded her personal bubble and mauled her face. The thing bounced to the grassy terrain and thumped against the trunk of the tree.

It was furry.

It was brown.

And it look suspiciously like an overgrown rodent.

"…A squirrel?" Saya rubbed her aching face and glared pointedly at the fuzzy thing, which was actually quite large for a normal squirrel. But that's when she noticed that it was, in fact _not _a normal squirrel. As it straightened itself out, it reached up to at least Saya's knees and was…._was that a skull on its face?_ The thing wore a feline-looking skull piece as a partial mask over most of its head and left side of its face. More than that, as it brushed itself off, she also realized its ears were larger than she would have thought, even for its abnormal size. What really threw her off, though, was when it stood on just two legs, like a human being would. It looked to Saya with twitching eyes.

"What's the big idea, twirling around like some ballerina? I could've gotten whiplash, ya know?" It's voice was a little squeaky, and sounded a little bit like chirping. But it had indeed talked.

"A talking rat!" Saya pointed at the thing with wide eyes. It bristled.

"I am no rat, you overgrown ape! I'm a _bone_ified Shacklebone Squirrel, and don't you forget it!" It crossed its little arms and watched Saya curiously before looking over to the Itachi. "Boy, you're late."

"We were troubled by some bad weather." Itachi said quietly, giving the squirrel barely a glance. It waved him away and turned to the tree.

"It matters not. The important thing is that you're here." He looked over his shoulder at Saya. "I'm guessing that's the mission? Or is she a prisoner?"

"She's a load of trouble is what she is." Kisame said. "Let's just get inside already, I'm tired of seeing her face."

"Yeah, well it's not like your ugly mug is much to look at." She said.

"It's better than your rancid breath."

"Better than your chainsaw teeth."

"Stupid woman."

"Stupid fish."

"Why don't you go crawl under a rock and-."

"If the two of you would stop flirting, we could get this show on the road, ya know?" The squirrel tsked as he hopped onto the tree with all four limbs. Both Kisame and Saya instantly glared at the thing and shouted in unison.

"**We are NOT flirting!"**

"He's a beast!"

"She's a bum." Man, did she bring out the childish side in Kisame. He felt like he was a kid again, fighting with all of the children who used to agitate him over his appearance. The squirrel shrugged and knocked on the trunks wood, three hollow echoes sounded in reply.

"Moving along, just follow the stairs. You should know the rest by now, ya know?" He told Itachi. As if a genjutsu had lifted, and just as Saya had expected before, a hollow spot formed at the tree's base. It was about six feet high, and just wide enough for one person to go through: Darkness awaited beyond.

"Move." Itachi's voice commanded Saya forward, which she surprisingly complied without retort. She carefully stepped through the wood threshold, and was met with a glowing twilight. A flight of spiral stairs met her view, squished between two walls that consisted of the trees outer layer. Along the walls seemed to be glowing mushrooms, and Saya offhandedly wondered if they had some sort of jutsu cast on them. Excited, she quickly began her descent, and not far behind she heard the men follow suit.

It seemed to take forever and a day, but finally Saya reached an end. Figuring with how long it had taken, she guessed that wherever they were was at least a few hundred feet below the surface. The air was dry and warm, almost suffocating, but taking slow breaths helped ease the difficulty. She couldn't help but grin broadly, after all, this was a pretty cool hideout. She wouldn't ever admit it aloud, especially around Hoshigake, but Akatsuki was creative, to say the least. As she stepped from the stairs, she was met with a long hallway. On either sides were several doors, all seemingly carved from the earth. Roots from the tree ran along the ceiling, and small fungi glowed softly, lighting the way. At the end of the hall was a set of very tall, and very large doors.

"Star struck, onna?" Saya's grin dropped as she passed a glance over her shoulder at Hoshigake, a smirk visible in the dim blue light. She trudged forward and waited for them to pass her and lead the way. Curiosity was eating away at her, and she couldn't help but break under their scrutiny.

"Oi, how did you guys build this place?" Her voice seemed muffled against the earthy walls, but it reached the boys ears perfectly.

"Magic." Saya scoffed at Kisame's sarcastic reply and folded her hands.

"This place…It _is_ magical. It's almost like something from a fairytale." She mumbled. Her earrings clinked in the silence that followed as they neared the large doors, and at their sound, Kisame glanced back at Saya, about to give her a sly remark. But as he turned his eyes to her, he couldn't help but catch his words. The blue light provided from the roots gave about a shimmering glow that enshrouded the woman. For the first time since they had confronted her, he took a moment to observe her appearance.

The blue glow accented her plum colored hair, which was messily tied back and mostly covered by a cloth turban, its color undistinguishable in the low lighting. Amber eyes wandered the walls, and were decorated by long, feminine lashes, and along with her tanned skin, made Saya look very much the islander she had been. Kisame stopped as he noticed something along her neck. Squinting, he tried to get a better look, but it was just impossible to see clearly.

"I once met a man not of my land, and asked from where he came. He whispered words not of my own, but I listened all the same. And when he had finished, he gripped his chest, and breathed his very last breath. Funny how a thing like homesickness and lead a man to death." Eerie words fell from Sayas lips, her tone much more serious compared to her usual teasing voice. They had just reached the doors, and her words made them turn back and face her. The ceiling held her gaze, and her eyes appeared glassy. She was watching the ceiling but not _seeing_ it. But then, just as quickly as she had become solemn, she looked back down to them with a lopsided grin and motioned towards the doors. "Ladies first!" Kisame didn't know what to say to that, her strange act had put him off, so he simply threw open the doors, and both he, Itachi, and the creepy woman stepped into the core of the base.

* * *

_Saya had known Jin for her entire life. They had been childhood friends, and had grown up side by side. When they were still too young to understand status, they played together just as children should, and without differentiation between their standings. Then, as they progressed into puberty, Jin had begun to refer to Saya by her family's honored name. She had resented that, and constantly reminded him that it didn't matter what her family was, they were friends, and so they should act like friends. Besides, she was definitely not the princess he made her out to be. Thankfully, she had whipped him out of the habit, and as they reached their later teens, they established closer and familiar ties. _

"_Jin." Saya popped her head around the corner of the training room, where she had guessed Jin had been all day. And she was right: He was standing in mid position with a practice katana in his palms. A slight sheen of perspiration covered his forehead, and as his serious face softened when he saw her, he straightened and swung the sword over his shoulder._

"_Yo, Saya. What's up?" His voice had matured as well by now. _

"_Wanna go to the scroll room with me? I found this cool piece on demon swords the other night, and I thought you'd might like to check it out." She drummed her fingers along the wall, waiting for his answer. Saya had grown as well, however, unlike Jin, she had never been plain. Just like her mother had been, she had been exquisite, even as a child. She had always reminded Jin of a cat, and her shining gold eyes and almost pointed pupils only helped make her seem more feline than human. _

"_I thought you had work to do. Didn't you just finish that Datanashi assignment the other day?" Of course Jin wanted to go with her, he would grab at any chance he could have with her. But he knew she had her duties as commander, and as just another one of the corps, he didn't want to be a distraction. It was bad enough that the elders had been nagging her about their 'too close' relationship. Jin's family was an honorable one, and his father had been a lieutenant for Saya's father before he passed away. However, the Imatsura clan was tedious in their dealings with work, and so any distractions, whether they be a person or thing, were strictly limited. As if reading his thoughts, Saya gave him a mischievous grin._

"_Forget those old geezers, I'll do what I want. Besides, I command them, they're only advisers." She hopped from the corner and put her hands on her hips. Her commanders haori was a long white coat that reached her knees, and was lined with black stitching. Beneath she wore simple padded armor and pocketed, loose pants that was supported by a compartment belt littered with who knew what. She had recently chopped her hair off, and it now was cut in a boyish, pixie style that hung messily in her face. _

"_Besides, we gotta pay Katsutoshi-chan a visit. He's been way too reclusive since Misa died." Towards the end of her sentence, Saya's eyes filled with regret, pain, and sadness, her grin a mask for what she felt, but her eyes were as open as a book. As if he had simply appeared, Jin suddenly held Saya in his arms, hugging her gently._

"_You need to stop blaming yourself for it." The words rang through Saya, and so did the hurt, but she didn't cry. She never cried. It wasn't that she wanted to seem tough or anything, she just simply never shed a tear. Not when her mother died from illness, not when a similar sickness came to claim her fathers life as well, and not when her elder sister…_

"_Yeah, yeah." She shoved Jin back a bit and turned on her heel. "You coming or what?" He grinned and followed. _

* * *

The room they entered was much larger than what Saya would have ever imagined. The ceiling seemed to rise a quarter mile high, and the circular width must have taken up quite a bit of the surrounding forest. The roots of the trees dangled above, but did not glow like the roots of the giant tree. Instead, small torches along the wall lit the room in a yellow-orange hue, and flickered, creating shadows. Among the shadows, Saya noted, were four men with similar cloaks as Hoshigake and the Uchiha's, and as she entered the room, they turned their gazes towards her. Beyond them, sitting on a boulder embedded in the ground, was a man, and beside him stood a woman. The shadows made their features hard to make out, but Saya knew these to be the rest of Akatsuki. Kisame and Itachi strode over to the other four men, Itachi on the right, Kisame on the left, leaving Saya to the mercy of their stares.

_Well, here goes nothing._ A small smile formed her lips as she sauntered forward, wondering what to expect from the men, and woman, among her. While she walked, her gaze traveled along the walls, and across the room. The figure clad in the shadows on the rock watched her dangerously as she nonchalantly stepped towards the middle of the men.

"Who the hell is this fuckin bitch?" One of the figures exclaimed, hand clenching what looked like a scythe. Saya cringed at the nasty words that dripped from his tongue, and halted in her approach.

"Hey, hey, didn't your mother ever tell ya to watch your language?" Her arms went up to her sides a mock shrug. The figure tensed and pointed his weapon at her.

"Watch what you say or I'll fucking sacrifice you to Jashin-sama!" An agitated cough brought Saya's attention towards the pair in front of her, and instead of messing around with the foul-mouthed man, she decided to keep her head rather than lose it. The smile was ever present, but it did not reach her eyes.

"Imatsura Sayuri." The mans eyes narrowed, and glowed a furious orange from the darkness, akin to a demon in a nightmare. "You know who we are, do you not?"

"Without doubt, Akatsuki Leader-sama." She said fearlessly.

"Good." His deep voice carried throughout the cave. "You were once the commander of the southern correction unit, correct?" The emotionless tone in his voice gave no hint to his thoughts, nor what he was planning. But once again, Saya didn't need to figure out his plans: She already knew them. She closed her eyes in thought as she mulled over some memories.

Kisame narrowed his eyes at the woman. The southern correction unit, eh? That was top notch, from what he heard. Of course, he had never actually faced anyone from the unit, so he couldn't really tell what was true and what wasn't, but for the most part, many criminals feared or at least were weary of the squad. So how could this flimsy woman be a leader, never mind a commander of such a group? Impossible. Itachi, as well, narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Yeah, that was a long time ago." She replied, folding her arms into either sleeve. Then, she peeked one eye open with a grin. "But I'm sure that's not why you've summoned me, Leader-sama?" She was playing with fire, Saya knew that, but she had dealt with similar criminals in the past. It wasn't anything new, and she knew how to handle such a situation. With confidence. Said leader narrowed his eyes.

"You know why I have summoned you?" He asked.

"I have an idea."

"If that is the case, what is your answer?" Saya's eye closed again, pondering her choice one last time before she sealed the deal.

"I have a question of my own before I reply." She said quietly. The orange-eyed man waited patiently for her to continue while the foul-mouthed figure shifted impatiently. Next to him was another man, who crossed his arms as he inspected the curious woman. She didn't seem like much, but then again, you should never judge a book by its cover. An eerily still figure across the room stood without movement or any human-like jitter. He only awaited further action. However, beside him was a shorter figure, one whom tapped his foot in irritation for having to be cooped up in such a depressing and boring base.

"If I happen to accept your request, I want something in return." The man stood silently still, while his violet-haired counterpart rolled her eyes from the woman to her partner.

"And that would be?"

"I want to join Akatsuki." Her eyes snapped open, a sinister glint reflected in her golden orbs. Kisame grunted, while the others held mild reactions. She lifted her hand and softened her grin. "Temporarily, of course. Besides, there are consequences to the seal you want me to accomplish. Ones that will bind not only your members together, but also to me as well. In taking you up on your demand, I place myself to the mercy of your organization, and your organization, as long as the seal applies, will be connected to me." She paused casually, bending her fingers. "To be truthful, you'd be getting the better deal." Shrugging she lowered her arms and awaited his reply, hoping he'd take the bait.

"Akatsuki is not a babysitting service." Came his stern reply.

"And I am not a baby." She countered. Sighing, she released the tension in her shoulders. This man, whoever he was, was not nearly as bad as she thought he'd be. Unlike many S-class criminals, he seemed to have some sense of logic to where he thought before he spoke. "Besides, if you do not want the seal to be broken, my life will have to be preserved until you have had your fill of the jutsu. I'm assuming you intend to use it on the bijuu, am I correct?"

"Your knowledge is admirable." He spat. She shrugged again at his response.

"Rumors and gossip travel fast in a bar. And I've been in many a bar." She said. "And concluding what you had wanted wasn't all that difficult. Akatsuki wants the bijju's, and there are only two known techniques for manipulating them successfully. One is by extraction through a certain ore only found in the northern mountains. It's very rare and very fragile, and requires several jutsu that are hard to come by this day and age. The other is through the Berserker technique, which has only been recorded among the Devil Scrolls." She paused, as if miffed by a memory, and then continued. "And the Devil Scrolls had been kept in the Imatsura household since their original owners sought to rid himself of them years ago. And considering the Imatsura clan's library was off limits to civilians and most ranking officers, and considering nobody ever took the time to sit down and read them, other than myself, the only possibility of you wanting me would be for my knowledge concerning the matter." She smirked. "That and I have a damn good memory." Silence took hold of the room as the seconds ticked by, and for a moment, Saya wondered if she had overstepped the line, and had gotten the man angry.

"I accept your proposal." Saya beamed at his statement. "However, I have come to understand that you are a heavy drinker, Imatsura Sayuri. If you intend to situate yourself among Akatsuki's fraction, you must sober up." Saya couldn't help but chuckle nervously, sweat forming on her forhead.

"N-Nani?" She stuttered. Kisame laughed at her predicament, and a couple of others chuckled in response. "Why's that?"

"It is bad enough that you will be among our ranks. Akatsuki will not tolerate such sloth." Saya was about to protest, but he interrupted her. "That is final. Do we have an accord?" It took her a moment, her inner demons pulling her this way and that, but finally she dropped her arms and head in defeat.

"Yeah, we got a deal."

* * *

**So right. I hoped I cleared up a bit of the confusion concerning Jin's age compared to Saya's. Also, I haven't said where Saya's from yet, but it will be revealed shortly. I'm trying to build at least some anticipation towards her mysterious past. Anyway, this was fun. I'll try to get started on the next chapter soon.**


	10. Ch 10: Too Close to the World

"There's a catch."

Saya's voice interrupted the momentary mumbles and curses of the Akatsuki members. Apparently, some weren't too keen on the idea of some woman joining their ranks, well, _another _woman. The man before her, who had just previously introduced himself as Pain, stood from his rock.

"A catch?" He asked, venom in his voice. Saya nodded, her palms a bit sweaty.

"Yes. The Berserker technique, otherwise known as King of Hell summon, can only be established on a summer or winter solstice." She wiped her palms gently on her haori. "They are the only times of the year that the gates between Earth and Hell are so close and a pact can be formed. Luck should have it that the summer solstice is in four weeks." She added. Pain did not answer her immediately.

"What the fuck is a King of Hell summon?" The mouthy man demanded. He turned to his partner, waiting for an answer.

"How should I know?" The masked man replied, his green eyes blazing.

"It sounds like a load of crap to me." The jittery figure nagged, inspecting his fingernails. "Fuck, I need to repaint these."

"Watch your tongue. Such crude language soils the air." His red-headed companion scolded. Kisame inclined his head towards Itachi.

"Itachi-san, have you ever heard of this technique?" He whispered. Itachi watched Saya intently, but shook his head.

"No."

"If it is in four weeks, then in four weeks you shall perform the seal, no excuses." He jumped from the boulder, next to the woman. "That should give you enough time to relieve yourself of your alcohol problem. For now, Kisame, Itachi." Both men snapped their eyes to Pain. "Imatsura will be under your guardianship until the summer solstice." He flicked a finger in the direction of the mouthy and green-eyed man. "No one is to severely harm Imatsura while she is in Akatsuki's custody, understood?"

"As long as the fucking bitch doesn't get in my way, I could care less." One said. The other simply inclined his head in acknowledgement. Pain retrained his eyes to Itachi and Kisame.

"I have another mission for the two of you, one which will require Imatsura's presence. As I said before, the both of you are to keep her under surveillance until the appointed time of the solstice. But for now, stay within the confines of the base until I debrief you on your goal. As for the rest of you, go about your business previously assigned until the four weeks have ended." The purple haired woman nodded her head and formed a pair of hand signs. Then, in a poof of black smoke, both vanished as Pains final word echoed throughout the room. "Dismissed."

Saya let out a huge sigh and fanned herself excessively.

"Man was that a shaky situation, ne?" She smiled at no one particular as she plopped down onto the dirt floor before her knees buckled.

"So who the hell are you?" The jittery man took a few steps forward into the light of a near-by torch. As he did, Saya was able to asses his features: Simply put, it was a boy. He couldn't have been more than sixteen.

He flicked a strand of honey colored, shoulder-length hair from his face with manicured fingers faded with a plum color nail polish. His skin was ivory in the dark, and his black eyes shined with a sort of mischief Saya had once identified reflected in her own, in her younger years. But they also held malice and arrogance, which shown bluntly in his self-satisfied smirk.

"It's rude to ask for a name without giving one, ne?" She drawled. She leaned back on her palms and stared the man in the eye. While hers held steady, his twitched.

"Who do you think you're talking to, woman?" He hissed.

"I don't know. You've yet to tell me." His right eye began to twitch more pronouncedly at her sly replies. He was about to whip out a kunai when his partner stepped forward, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Enough, Sho. Remember Leader's orders." The red head had a fair complexion, and he too looked very young. In fact, he was shorter than the twitching boy. What was Akatsuki full of, a whole bunch of angst-filled teenagers?

"Ah, so your name is Sho then? Short for Shotaro, I'd imagine." She mumbled.

"No, it's Sho. Just Sho. But you will address me as Sho-_sama." _He glared pointedly at Saya, flipping a hand. Saya noted that much of what he did was very feminine, and she almost couldn't contain a snicker at that fact. "So now that you know _my_ name, tell me yours." Hadn't the boy heard what his Leader had said just a few short moments ago? He had said her name, after all. But no matter. Saya sighed animatedly and rolled on her back before quickly flipping back up onto her feet. She hunched over, weary with the days events, and gave both boys a tired smile.

"I'm Imatsura Sayuri, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Her arms hung limply at her sides, she swayed, and finally she fell backwards again onto the dusty floor, this time unconscious. Kisame scoffed at her lackadaisical behavior and threw Itachi a look.

"Are we really stuck with this thing?" He asked, unhappy with their predicament. And here he'd thought they'd finally gotten rid of the drunk. It seemed as though karma had other plans for Kisame and his partner, but the plans were anything but exciting. The jittery, feminine man scowled and pointed at the sleeping Saya, and looked at the blue man and stoic Uchiha.

"Mind telling me who she is? I've never heard of that name before, so she can't be that great, right?" Sho sucked his teeth while the other two shadowed Akatsuki members began to depart.

"What, didn't you hear? She was some captain or other back in the day." Kisame shrugged. He then glanced over at the retreating immortals. "Oi, Kakuzu, Hidan, where are you going?"

"The fuck away from here." Hidan called back, waving an arm. "I don't really give a shit about who the hell the woman is, and I've got better things to do than hang around this gloomy room." He cursed some grumbles under his breath that couldn't quite reach Kisame's ears, but he thought he'd heard something along the lines of 'sacrificing to Jashin-sama'.

"And I have to review our latest earnings and spending." Kakuzu said, and then he gave Kisame a pointed glare. "By the way, watch how long you spend in the shower. We're wasting way too much money on water bills." Kisame shrugged again, and looked back to Itachi. However, he found that the young Uchiha was no longer beside him, but rather near the sleeping woman.

"She's strange." Sasori mumbled, watching her slumber.

"No, she's stupid. And ugly. I mean, look how inelegant she is!" Sho exclaimed with crossed arms. "Women are supposed to be graceful, delicate, and submissive, but the brute just lays there like some animal. Hmph!" Sho grimaced as a slight snore drawled from Saya's lips and echoed in the room. "Disgusting." He spat.

"Come." Sasori called to him, beginning to exit the room as well. Sho sighed and brushed his altered Akatsuki cloak off. Instead of the traditional style, it was trimmed snug around the torso, with a red sash tied firmly around the waist. His collar was also opened all the way down to the hips, showing a black netted shirt lay beneath to reveal tight, sculpted muscles.

"Tch. Best of luck, losers." He turned on his heel after Sasori and followed him out of the room.

"Cheeky brat." Kisame growled under his breath once he and Itachi were alone with Saya's snores. "What are we goanna do with her?" Itachi watched as Saya began to drool lightly.

"Leader-sama said she is to become sober before anything else." Itachi said quietly. Kisame smirked.

"That's goanna suck for her. Without her precious sake, I wonder how she'll manage." He snidely remarked. Itachi scooped Saya up in his arms from her sprawled state. Surprisingly, as he did, he noted that she felt light as a feather. She had seemed like such a sturdy individual, it was strange that she was so slight. As he picked her up, a gourd fell to the ground with a clunk. Kisame walked to it and plucked it from the dirt.

"Guess she won't be needing this anymore." He looked to Saya in Itachi's arms, a question itching his throat. Itachi began to exit the room, planning on dropping her off in one of the two extra rooms they had within the base. Kisame shadowed him silently, the only sound were the pats of their feet against the ground. Itachi followed the hall back towards where the entrance was, and then paused before a thick root on the right wall. It trembled before slithering upwards like a snake, revealing another passageway longer and wider than the main one. Less doors were along the walls, and he stopped in front of one on the left. Itachi deftly pushed open the door, which exposed a dark, plain room. The walls were covered with a layer of wood, and the floor was sprawled with even stone bricks.

Along the right side was a small cot, and a single torch-ready lantern hung from the ceiling. Most of the rooms in the bases were designed as such, because really, there was no need for extravagance or personal touch. Bases changed so frequently, and with the threat of enemy ninja always about, the time and effort for such things was unnecessary.

Itachi carried Saya over to the cot and laid her down carefully. He swiftly propped her head on the meager pillow, and slid the rest of her body onto the covers. The air below the tree was pretty warm, so being without a blanket would probably be most comfortable. Saya's head dipped to the side as a slight dab of drool began to form on the right side of her mouth. Kisame watched as Itachi positioned Saya on the bed for a moment before he furrowed his brows in thought.

Saya mumbled incoherently in her sleep, and wiped away the drool unconsciously with the back of her hand. Seeing as how she was situated, Itachi straightened up and was about to turn back towards the door, but something made him pause for a moment. A soft sigh escaped Saya, as well as a small smile. He watched her for a moment, barely a second, and not nearly long enough for Kisame to notice, before he strode back to the door. After he closed it behind him, Itachi looked up to Kisame, noticing the taller mans frown.

"What is it?" Kisame looked down to his partner. He debated whether or not he should voice his thoughts. It wasn't that he didn't trust the young murderer, but he himself didn't know exactly what he was wondering. Questions were on the tip of his tongue, but the words hadn't really formed, and he wondered why that was.

"The woman." He began, "I don't get why she wants to join Akatsuki." Kisame shifted his weight slightly. "She mentioned before that she was going to refuse Leader's request. And if she really used to be some sort of correction squad captain, then why would she join an organization full of criminals she once hunted down? It just doesn't make any sense." He grumbled the last part, crossing his arms. Itachi regarded Kisame thoughtfully.

"Who knows." He replied halfheartedly. Turning his back, he retreated back towards another part of the base, probably somewhere where he too could ponder his own strange thoughts. Kisame watched him go, quirking a brow.

Who knows indeed. The woman seemed completely obstinate about associating with Akatsuki, never mind joining it. Ever since she pranced her way up that tree, she'd seemed almost…excited? Kisame didn't know. But for some reason, the woman seemed to have gained some sort of spark that wasn't there before.

When both he and Itachi had first confronted the strange woman, he had gotten the feeling that she cared less as to what happened to her. Her attitude was objective, a little fiery when provoked, and nostalgic to say the least. It was almost as if she were a leaf in the wind, and wherever she was blown was just fine with her. Well, other than the whole helping Akatsuki thing. Kisame wasn't exactly all _that_ insightful, but he wasn't blind. But now, she seemed eager. And eager to do what she said she wouldn't no less. He couldn't figure out what had changed her mind. Shrugging, Kisame trudged to his own uninviting room, wondering all the while. But not wondering too much: The woman was an annoyance, nothing more, nothing less. The sooner they were rid of here, the better.

"_Saya." _

_Saya looked back towards the beach, the waves spitting a salty mist all over her back and hair, drenching her. The wind whipped around wildly, tearing at her haori and hakama. Running along the shore was none other than Jin, his own robes clinging to his structured frame as she sped along. The yellow and red sky began to darken the closer he got, and soon Saya could hear the rumble of thunder rolling by. _

"_Saya."_

_Saya smiled fondly at the man she had become so close to after all these years. He was the smile that greeted her mornings, the lunch-time laughter that sweetened the air, the soft gaze the calmed her nerves at the end of a stressful day. Everything. He filled her being. _

"_Saya."_

_He finally came to a stop before her, hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath. The sky turned pitch black, the waves now held the stench of blood and gore. She felt a wave spray at her back, fully encasing her with the tinge of muddy red. The smell of rust and salt filled her senses. Lifting her hand, she stared emotionlessly at her palm, which was the color of vermillion. _

"_Saya."_

_Slowly Jin lifted his head to face Saya. She lifted her face as well, to meet his gaze. _

_All that was left was an empty memory._

"_Oh Saya-chan, you're so morbid! Dreaming dreams like this can't be good for your health!" Sing-a-song. A voice flooded her ears._

"_Fuu. Get out of my head." Saya ordered calmly. Her eyes were dull as she watched the memory of Jin slowly decay into rot and then bones, before crumbling to dust and being carried away by the storm winds. _

"_Oh poo! Saya-chan, you're no fun! You used to be so cool, why won't you smile?" The voice echoed from the endless sky of darkness. Saya numbly stared ahead. "Saya-chan, Saya-chan! I have some great news! My master wishes your company! Isn't that great! We can see each other again!" The ocean began to tear in vicious swells, whooshing past Saya and filling the world. She was soon engulfed by a giant sea of darkness, but as dreams go, she could breath just as easy. "I'm sure it will be so much fun! Especially with all these cool bad guys you're hangin out with now! I thought you hated bad guys, Saya-chan?" There was no answer. The cheerful voice wavered, uncertain. "Saya-chan?"_

"_**I said, get out."**__ A violent force stirred the waters into a giant whirlpool of fractured memories, ripples reflecting long-forgotten scenes. The voice shrieked and was cast away. _

_It was time to get up._

Saya's eyes opened. She stared calmly at the ceiling, a strange and unknown ceiling she had never watched before. Of course, it wasn't like she made a habit of watching ceilings or anything. She wasn't some creepy hermit who lazed around all day…Okay, so maybe she was, but she didn't laze around in _bed_ all day. And she didn't stare at ceilings…much. Where was she going with this?

Saya sighed, the memories from her meeting with Akatsuki's leader came rushing back, and she barely suppressed a grimace. She never thought she'd see the day when she would willingly join a group of criminals. Not just any criminals, mind you. But S-ranked, rogue ninjas known especially for their murderous nature.

Peachy.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but grin wildly. It was all part of the plan. The plan she had decided on not but-Er, how long was she out for? Saya sat up, supporting herself on an open palm, and searched the room for a window of some sort. Maybe then she could discern the time of day. It had been light out when they had arrived at the base. But all that surrounded her was darkness. Albeit, a low, shaking flame rested within a lantern above her, casting a low glow about the room. Other than that, there was no furniture, no windows: Nothing.

A pound thumped in the back of her skull, and she quickly went to nurse it with a gulp of liquor. As she went to retrieve her gourd, she stopped dead cold. Frantically, she shuffled her hands about her person, finding, or more appropriate, _not_ finding her stash. Then, she remembered her deal.

With a loud groan, she flopped back down onto the bed and let out a long, agonizing sigh. How the hell was she goanna get through this? She hadn't gone ten minutes, never mind, ten hours or days without sake. In fact, ever since she left her village all those years ago, she hadn't gone one day without drinking some form of alcohol.

Even as she thought this, her head began to rhythmically pound, deafening any miniscule amount of sound that was within the room. Already she felt a deep thirst begin to form along her taste buds and throat, coating it in an arid dryness. She suddenly noticed how cracked her lips felt, how heavy her eyes were, and how a sharp pain ticked every time she swallowed.

Hell. This was undoubtedly Hell. Saya slowly rolled herself off the bed, falling onto the dank floor. A quick, sharp tingling sensation raced through her nerves throughout her body, making her bite her lip until it bled.

How was she ever going to sober up? Her mind began to claw at the pain and fear she would have to endure in the near future, and she couldn't help but cry out hysterically.

How long had it been since her last drink? An hour? Two? Six? Twelve? How long could she go before loosing her mind to the insanity of her past? One hour? One minute?

You see, Saya didn't drink because she liked the taste. She didn't drink for the fun of it, nor for any other such frivolous reasons. Saya drank to forget, as she had previously stated to Hoshigake. She drank to overflow her mind, to dull the reminders of sins and regrets. In fact, Saya hated the taste of Sake. She loathed it. But it had kept her ignorant, it had distracted her brain from focusing on the details.

Now, however, she was stuck. She would be forced to rewind, relive, and reevaluate everything. All in a dark, empty room, in the middle of a criminal lair, filled with uncaring villains she would rather dance the tango with before ever allowing them to hear or see her in such a state of disarray and weakness.

But that was when Saya remembered. Her pained expression instantly smoothed out, dredging up a cold, determined stare.

It was then she remembered not just what she was doing, but _why _she was doing it. Struggling, she picked herself up, and dragged her body over to the far corner of the room, where the shadows cackled at her ironic misfortune, and hid the grime that was her present and past. Her eyes were hard, her face pained but blank, and her mind whirling at a speed much faster than usual. She would get through this, one way or another. She would not allow Uchiha, or Hoshigake to lay eyes on her in such a state. She would not allow anyone to view her weakness, not ever again. She would do this, even if it killed her and she had to crawl her way back up from Hell. She would let Akatsuki use her, for now. But surely for naught; She would bide her time until she too could use them. Use their resources and use their status.

There, she sat, listlessly, and only just beginning to endure what would be a hellish few days. But it was worth it. Well worth it.

After all, if she could get through this, she would return to her village, revived.

And then…

She would exterminate the very root of all her nightmares.

**Thanks everyone for the cool reviews. They really made me smile, and made my day worth living. Okay, that sounded pathetic, so I guess I'll just leave it at that they made my day. Regardless, the next chapter is going to drawl: Just a warning. But there will be a mushy part, for all of those who have been waiting for it. But just out of curiosity, who do you guys prefer? Hoshigake, or Itachi? **

**After that, the chapter after will be exciting. Very exciting. **

**-Insert Evil Laughter Here-**

**Toodles.**

**~Serb**


	11. Ch 11: G is for Get The Hell Out

**Okay. I saw all the questions you guys had, and really, I'm very sorry for making it all so confusing. I was hoping you guys would catch my time reference in chapter 8, when I mentioned the Kyuubi attacking Konoha. I guess I'll just come out and tell ya: The time that this story is taking place is when Itachi first joined Akatsuki. I'm taking a bit of a creative license here, messing a bit with time and plot. **

**If you also noticed, just to clear up the confusion, the King of Hell summon is what Akatsuki uses to extract Bijuu from their hosts. Basically, Pain wanted Saya's knowledge on the technique in order to retrieve the Bijju more successfully, and since he controls life and death, once Saya construes the jutsu, he will be able to utilize it to the fullest. So yeah, Sho is my OC, the man that was Sasori's partner before Deidara or anyone before him (I can't remember if there was). **

**Oh, and to that special reader who's been there since the beginning: No. Saya is not going to destroy Akatsuki. That's not what she's after. You'll see later what it is she is planning, but not quite yet. I need some way to keep you guys reading. **

**Thanks.**

**~Serb**

Itachi carried a small tray filled with a chunk of bread, an apple, and a glass of water. Simple foods that the woman would be able to hold down, considering how nauseous she probably felt. It had been almost two days since he had last left her in the room, and he imagined that she must have worked up some sort of appetite by now.

The only reason Itachi was doing this was because, let's face it, no one else was going to. None of the members had left the base yet, taking this time for a momentary vacation of sorts before heading back to their missions. In fact, Itachi usually never had any time to read anymore, so he was actually making the best of the hiatus to catch up on an old novel he had once bought. However, even if just about all the members were present, none of them harbored any hospitable characteristics. If it wasn't for him, Itachi guessed that the woman would have probably starved to death before her sentence was up.

He stopped before the door, pausing for a moment before knocking on the sleek oak. Itachi waited a few seconds, but when no reply was made, he decided to knock again. Just as his knuckles were about to make contact, Saya's gruff voice called out.

"Go away." Itachi's eyes narrowed. Her voice sounded strained and pained, much different from the usual cheerful, care-free tone she had exerted before. Regardless, Itachi turned the knob and slid open the door.

The light from within was much dimmer than the hallway glow, so as the door swung open, a thick ray of light shone across the small room. Saya quickly shielded her eyes as the light poked her corner, revealing her form to the steady eyes of the Uchiha. Imatsura Sayuri was a mess.

Even in the gloom, Itachi could discern her physical state of disarray. Her turban lay listlessly on the ground some ways away, and her coat was thrown messily along the rumpled bed. This left her in her tank top and hakama, all of which were wrinkled. Her hair lay sloppily in her face and hung down by her shoulders, and as she glared from behind the ringlets of plum colored tresses, her eyes flashed a molten gold. Her crumpled form tensed as he observed her from across the room.

"What part of 'go away' didn't you understand, Uchiha?" She slowly dragged her knees to he face a draped her arms on her knees. Without bothering to answer, Itachi stepped inside and closed the door behind him. A growl erupted from Saya's throat in a gurgle as he approached her, her eyes narrowing as he stood before her. The sight of the food on the tray made her stomach lurch, and she attempted to withhold whatever it was that sloshed around.

Itachi slowly kneeled down and placed the tray before Saya, gently positioning it away so she wouldn't knock it over if she moved. As he did so, Saya tightly watched him, on edge as to why the Uchiha was doing something so gracious. It was strange, she thought, that not once had he lashed out at her as Hoshigake had. Not once had he really been anywhere near threatening, nor volatile or bloodthirsty. In fact, if it weren't that he were part of Akatsuki, Saya wouldn't have believed the story of the Uchiha genocide. This man seemed like a saint, a gloomy saint, but one none the less. Her eyes narrowed more. It was very peculiar. She was suspicious.

Itachi regarded Saya's eyes, and found a mixture of emotions in their depths. Fear, pain, apprehension, frustration. She seemed to be expecting something, but Itachi didn't know what. Saya's eyes traveled down to the food again, and as she tried not to wretch all over the Uchiha, she found that he had brought her easy, digestible foods.

And suddenly, all the apprehension, all her guards: They dropped. Her shoulders fell as she let out an exhausted sigh from her chapped lips, and she brought up her hand to cradle her forehead. Her hair fell like a veil, shielding her expression from Itachi. She let out a hoarse chuckle that shook her frame.

"Uchiha, what are you doing?" Her tone was tired, but there was no venom in her words. Her previous sourness had dispersed, and as she looked up, he noted she had a dry smile on her lips.

"Eat." His simple command was responded with a bubble of laughter that burst forth from Saya's lips, and she attempted to control it with a limp palm. He stared her down, a cold expression. When she noticed his look, she shook her head and waved him.

"Uchiha, for a criminal, you-." Suddenly, a sharp shock of pain erupted from behind Saya's eyes, making her break off from her sentence and wince. She quickly clutched her skull and focused on not biting her tongue. She had been experiencing terrible withdrawal symptoms, and the effects had only seemed to intensify. That also included the dreams and hallucinations. They were only brief flashes of figures and faces, and they hadn't haunted her so much as of yet. But this was only the beginning, and she knew it would worsen. So far, she hadn't broken her resolve not to scream, but if things did get worse, her resolve wouldn't mean shit to her, she thought cynically.

Speak of the devil, as she decided to give the Uchiha a reassuring smirk, her vision swam, and he disappeared behind a shade of navy blue. A bright light invaded her retinas, and suddenly, she was looking at a eerily familiar scene.

The beach was far off now, close enough to hear the waves and smell the brine, but not visible. The night was heavy, and gravity almost seemed aggressive, forcing itself down upon her body. Tall grass surrounded her on either side, a large tree somewhere behind her, rattling its branches impatiently in the breeze. Said breeze was also clunking together the dozens of wooden wind chimes attached to many of the branches, creating a musical air that flushed the area in sound. Village lanterns were just barely noticeable just beyond the sea oats, and the moon was hidden behind dry clouds.

But the night was not peaceful. The night was not lovely. The night was _not_ what it should have been. Just beyond were two figures. The chimes grew louder, and more muffled, less distinct. One shadow, impaled, sputtering apologies; the other, grinning darkly, eyes glinting with morbid mirth, and trained on Saya's very being.

She gasped, a quick intake of breath, almost tearing her hair out by the roots.

_Wake up, wake up, wake up. Damn it, you fool! This isn't even how it happened!_

As Saya clenched her eyes closed, Itachi watched her teeter on the verge of hysterics right before his eyes. It seemed as though she was having a fit of some sort: Just as she was about to comment on something, her eyes glazed over and she began to hyperventilate. But what grabbed Itachi's attention was the fact that she didn't seem like she was going to come out of it. Silently, he went to jab her. However, her hands instantly shielded her face, although the attempt was weak. She began to shake, her eyes rolling around behind her lids.

This somehow seemed wrong. Itachi's eyes began to spin as he delved into whatever Saya was experiencing.

He was instantly surrounded by the sounds of wood, rattling and invading the musky air. He stood in the tall grass beside a dreary scene of shadows and distorted light. Damp winds carried the smell of the ocean along his black gear, and whipped his hair around his face. The night hid most of his surroundings, but dim lighting from a nearby village gave the area a slight glow. There didn't seem to be anyone around: His gaze traveled over the fields of grass, to the direction of the sound of waves, past the glimmering lanterns, and finally rested on a large oak tree. It's trunk was wide, and the chimes that he had heard hung from various, thick branches that decorated the tree top. He was about to start towards the village when he heard a small, choked back cry. It came from behind the tree, and it was muffled by the soothingly noisy chimes, but he had heard it. He made his way to the tree, and as he walked around to the other side, he found himself looking at a trembling form.

Saya.

She sat listlessly at the tree's base, her legs sprawled out before her, and her arms hung limply in her lap. Her head was bent downwards, so he could not see her face, but she seemed different. Younger.

Rather, her hair was much shorter, the locks no longer present, but replaced with a messy short cut, and her form seemed shorter, smaller. In fact, if Itachi didn't know any better, he'd say that this was Saya in her early teenage years.

She must have felt his presence, despite how silent his footsteps were and how loud the air was, for she looked up to meet his eyes. Her cheeks were tear-stained, but the eyes were steady. Nowhere near as crazed as they were moments before, outside the dream.

"Who are you?" Her voice was different as well. It was less husky, and more youthful. No, that wasn't it. It wasn't more youthful…But more something. Regardless, it was different. Itachi then realized what this was.

It was a memory.

The woman was stuck in her past.

And this before him was fragment of that past, ignorant to the present which included himself.

"Uchiha Itachi." He replied slowly. Her eyes unfocused for a second before she regarded him suspiciously.

"And what are you doing here, Itachi? Ninja aren't supposed to be around Kurai (Dark) Village." Her tone held authority, leading Itachi to believe that she was indeed a leader of some sort. However, the tone wasn't unkind, but merely questioning. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"I'm looking for someone." At his reply, she raised a brow.

"Oh? And who is it you're looking for?" She grinned, wiping away the remnants of the wetness on her face. "A friend?" She seemed unconcerned with him, like the thought of him being dangerous hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Something like that." He was about to say something else when she interrupted him.

"Hey, wanna sit down with me for a bit? I've had a really crappy day, and I sort of feel like being near someone right now." She paused, sighing. Itachi hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should just simply release the memory with his Sharringan or go along with the moment. Curiosity at its finest, he stood beside Saya, leaning against the trunk. She looked up to him. "Oh come on, don't be such a stiff, Uchiha-san. Sit. It's really nice out tonight, and in the middle of storm season too!" Grudgingly, he heeded her demand and took a seat next to her, at least four feet away from her sprawled form.

They sat there like that for minutes before Saya broke the silence.

"Uchiha-san, can I ask you a question?" Well, the younger Saya was a bit more polite than her older self. He didn't reply, and she took that as a yes.

"Have you ever done something that was good, but regretted doing it?" Itachi looked over to her to find her face decrypt of any emotion, save a tight line that was her lips. He wondered whether or not he wanted to answer her question. He left her with silence. She couldn't help but smile at it.

"To tell you the truth, I never thought I would regret any of my actions. I really believed that no matter what, I would always make the right choice. But…I never realized how hard that could be." She looked up to the moon, finally revealed from behind the curtains of dark clouds. "Uchiha-san." She looked to him. "I think I've done….something regrettably terrible." Itachi regarded the girl, a tug at his usually stoic heart reminded him of his soiled recent past. A quick flash of falling corpses and spattered blood filled his gaze before he met the girls sad smile.

"What did you do?" He asked. She twisted her hands together, the smile never faltering.

"I-."

"Uchiha, get out. Now." The scene around Itachi froze. The wind was no more, the chimes were deadly silent, and all movement was paused. Even the young Saya was frozen, the sentence still reminiscent on her lips. Itachi closed his eyes.

He opened them again to see the older Saya once again, her hair still mussed and her eyes dulled. Back in the room.

"And who said you could dig around my head like that?" Her tone was playful, but held a threatening edge somewhere beneath the sweetness. He inclined his head slightly.

"Eat. It will help curb the headaches." He swiftly stood and turned to the door. Just as he was about to open it, Saya called out to him.

"Uchiha." He opened the door without hesitation, without waiting for her to continue. She did so anyway. "The difference between right and wrong, good and bad. Is that line between righteous and evil really so distinct? Or is it just as broad as it's proclaimed to be?" Itachi closed the door behind him, but just before clicking it shut, he replied.

"Who knows." With that, he was gone. Saya shuddered as another pang ran through her head, but her grip was less urgent this time, and somewhere beneath her ribs, somewhere deep inside her body, something fluttered.

Relief.

The Uchiha had stumbled upon a secret memory of hers, and she had almost allowed him to learn something about her past. Thankfully, she had caught him in time.

"Tch, what a bother." She mumbled, throwing a glare at the food. Her stomach turned again, and she found that her appetite was still lost, and probably not gonna find its way home for a while. Whatever, it's not like she cared if she was rude, not eating the food.

Curling up, she rested her forehead on her arms, attempting to hold back her dry heaves. A cool, clammy sweat began to form along her body, and she felt as though she were in a sauna. Damn.

This really sucked.

As Itachi closed the door, leaving Saya with his parting words, he heard footsteps approach from his left. It was Kisame, sans Samehada and cloak, simply dressed in his arm warmers and uniform.

"Leader-sama briefed me on our next mission." He came to a stop in front of Itachi. "In two weeks time, we're to travel south of here to Piyo village. Apparently, some wanna-be samurai assassin took out some gang leaders girlfriend, and they want him. Alive." Kisame shrugged. "He sounds like a wimp, though. Barely classified."

"Hn." Itachi closed his eyes in acknowledgement, turned, and began making his way to his own room.

"Oi, what were you doing in the woman's room?" He asked, placing a hand on his hip.

"Bringing her food." Itachi quietly disappeared down the hall. Kisame raised a brow, but decided not to pursue the younger man. Instead, he grinned and reached for the door knob, intending to see how the pitiful creature was handling her sober confinement, but just as he touched it, her voice screamed from the other side.

"**If you so much as think about coming in this room Hoshigake, I swear by all that is holy I'll drop kick your ass all the way back to Mist Country!" **Kisame chuckled, standing closer to the door.

"And what makes you think you could even lay a finger on me, onna? Remember, I'm an S-classed criminal, one of the seven swordsmen of the mist, and a member of Akatsuki. How could you hold a candle to _that_?" He could practically hear her gnawing her teeth down to dust, and he barely held back his laughter.

Oh, so he thought he was smart, did he? Saya smiled.

"Oh, Hoshigake, I could hold more than a candle. In fact, I think I could hold a blow torch."

"And what makes you think that, onna?" He scoffed.

"Why, because Hoshigake. Let me make this clear. I may be a homeless drunk, rusty on her fighting skills, and stuck underground with a hoard of naughty men without a lick of alcohol in sight. However, I am also of Tokubetsu Jonin rank, the founder of two highly classified and forbidden justu techniques, master of taijustu. And, I was once the Captain Commander of an elite squad of disciplinary ninja that even the Kage's revered. Plus," She added with a smirk, "I could out drink you any day ten fold." Kisame scowled.

"You talk big for someone who's barfing their brains out." He managed.

"Oh, like you would know. Speaking of brains, how's the search going?" Kisame quirked a brow.

"Search?"

"Yeah, you know, the search for _your_ brain. I heard it went missing a long while ago, and you haven't seen it since." Kisame grunted, and went to throw open the door, but her voice once again halted his action.

"Hoshigake, I meant it when I asked you not to open that door." Her voice sounded firm, firmer than usual.

"And why would I listen to you?" He asked, frowning. There was a long pause, a very tense pause before Saya replied. And when she did, Kisame had thought he'd heard wrong.

"…Please. Do not open the door, Hoshigake." Her voice suddenly sounded exhausted. Like she hadn't slept in months. Slowly, Kisame let his hand drop from the knob and he looked straight at the door.

"Fine." He grumbled, turning away. "But don't let it go to your head. I just don't feel like dealing with some cranky woman right now."

Saya couldn't help, even with the ringing in her ears, but smile.

"You're not such a bad guy after all, Hoshigake."

"Tch." Kisame trudged back to his room, Saya finally left in peace.

No.

It wasn't peace.

Not at all.

"There's a leaf upon the windowsill, and all it does is watch. Watch the seasons come and go, and the ticking of the clock. But sooner or later the time will crumble, even the preserved will rot. And all that remains are the memories vain, it's all of nothing and naught." Fuu pranced along the riverbed, her cold friend not far behind her.

"Yin! Do you think Saya-onee chan is excited to see us?" She asked cheerfully.

"Probably not." Was the dull reply. The snowy girls half-lidded eyes could make even the most energized person feel sleepy.

"Aw, that's no fun. I'm sure she'll be tickled pink to see us again! I mean, just think of how much fun we had the last time we were together, ne?"

"If that is what you think." Fuu pouted and threw her hands on her hips dramatically.

"Ja ne, Yin-chan. You're always so negative! You have to think on the pos-it-ive! And besides, even _if _Saya-chan isn't happy, then at least our master will be! It'll be such a dramatic and destructive reunion, full of heartache and revenge! HAHA!" She twirled around, but as she did, she accidentally tripped over a rock and found herself in the knee-deep, chilly water. Yin continued to walk forward, ignoring the yellow girls whines. However, she quietly stated to the wind, a silent premonition.

"It will end in despair."

**Ah, so I wanted to add something now that I've read all these amazing reviews. I've decided who Saya will be paired with. **

**You will just have to figure it out along the way. But it should be pretty obvious. **

**Anyway, thanks for the motivation. I did this chapter instead of practicing SAT. **

**~Serb**


	12. Ch 12: Take It Like a Man, Onna

The acrimonious nature Sho had acquired over the years, mordant and shrew, had caused him to behave rather cat like. In fact, he very much would resemble some sort of feline if he had the eyes or the tail. And because of that, many of his gestures and tones were very feminine.

Sho had lived a very sheltered life up until he was twelve. Most of what he had experienced was prodigal, and extravagant. After all, his parents had been nobles, very wealthy nobles, who were held in extreme regard.

Sho got just about whatever he wanted. He was an only child, and the apple of his father and mothers eyes. Besides that, Sho had always had a way with words. He had an efficacious aura that seemed to persuade even the most opposing party of what he wanted.

However, he had come to realize soon after his easy life was torn from him that money was the reason behind all this, and once it was gone, his effect was no more. Shortly after Sho's twelfth birthday, his parents were assassinated, and their money swindled by far relatives when Sho was left defenseless.

He was thrown onto the gritty streets of the ghetto, completely unprepared and disregarded.

His relatives were in fact hoping he would disappear, so he could not come back to reclaim his title when he would come of age.

His life, after that, was a constant, unyielding flow of desultory events and circumstances, all erratic and all terrible.

After two long years of this, and a culmination of all the starvation and murder he had witnessed and experienced, he had learned not only how to fight, but how to fight _well._

He simply had to, or otherwise, he would die.

He also picked up a healthy knowledge of genjustu and ninjutsu from various gangs and hoodlums.

Sho had strived to move forward, he had yearned a place in the world, an acknowledged place like he had once had. He strove to rise in status through his own hard work. In fact, he worked so hard, he actually acquired some very powerful techniques, and had become quite the handyman in the slums. Handyman, meaning an assassin, more or less.

However, towards the end of those two years, he was still stuck where he had began. He was not all-powerful, he was not of-age, and he was definitely not out of the ghetto.

And that is when he stumbled upon Akatsuki.

He craved a cogent voice once again, one strong enough to move mountains and steal the clouds away from the vast blue sky.

And of course, Akatsuki was authentic. It was real. It was there.

And he wanted it.

Sho wanted to rise in the world. And he had, to an extent. It had been another two years since he joined Akatsuki, but he was still where he was when he began, albeit with a little more jingle in his pockets and a fuller belly.

But he had become stronger as well.

Akatsuki was just a stepping stone to his place of greatness, greatness that far exceeded a silly noble house.

And he was just a few steps away.

_Perhaps this is why he would come to hate our beloved Saya so much. Because she had had it all, everything he had dreamed of: And she had let it slip through her fingers. She had completely wasted it._

_Or so he would come to think._

_/_

Already it had been a week.

_One whole week of carnage and spine tearing pain._

Saya had dealt with the convulsions. Saya had overcome the memories. Saya even overcame the consistently visiting Uchiha, who had dropped off food wordlessly as she watched from the shadows. After the first three days, Saya began to attempt to distract herself through basic training. She began lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, crunches, and a few other chakra meditating techniques. Finally, she was able to accomplish almost one thousand of each before dying (Figuratively, of course).

It had seemed like eternity, plus a day or two. But now a week had finally passed, and Saya was, to but it in her own terms, 'Sick to death' of lying around and wallowing in her own misery. So tired, in fact, she decided to explore one day after those seven hellish 24-hour cycles, in hopeful thoughts of finding a training room of some sort. Quietly, she closed the door behind her. She had had enough of the basics. She was actually surprised with herself that she was progressing so easily. At this, she mentally cringed. Somehow, she knew this was going to bite her in the ass somewhere along the line. Some type of backlash was bound to happen: It had been way too easy. Shrugging and disregarding the thought, she crept down the hallways, hugging the walls and peering around corners in caution to any lurking Akatsuki baddies.

After about twenty minutes of creeping, she frowned and crossed her arms. Okay, she wasn't any physicist, but there was _no_ way these halls could be _that_ long or maze-like. She didn't remember there being this many passage ways, no way-no how. Sighing, she dropped her arms in defeat.

"You win Uchiha. Now please, relieve me of this damned genjutsu." She said tiredly. And just like that, the spiraling hallways shimmered and vanished, leaving her right back where she started, and in front of her door. To her left, Itachi lounged against the wall, his arms crossed as he silently glared at her. She sheepishly grinned.

"Ne, Uchiha-san. Long time no see?" She laughed humorlessly, glancing back the door and wishing she was once again behind it. Shaking away her regrets, she straightened up and looked at the wall opposite of him.

"So, you guys got a training room or something around here?" Itachi watched her for a moment, seemingly calculating whether or not answering her was appropriate, before walking in the opposite direction. Saya didn't know whether or not that was a 'follow me' or if he was blatantly ignoring her now. After a few steps, though, he glanced over his shoulder, and continued onward, making Saya grin and shadow his footsteps. They walked in total silence, marking the hallways only with the presence of their chakra, and Saya's languid shuffles. After two turns, Itachi stopped outside a pair of doors, decorated mildly with the lines of aged wood and nicks etched into the middle, sloppily spelling out kanji.

'_Hidan fucking rocks.'_

Saya raised a brow.

"Really?" She asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice as she addressed the scrawl with a pointed finger. But of course, the Uchiha didn't answer. However, he did bow his head, and began to walk once more.

"Do not make trouble." He said quietly, but the threat lingered in his tone. Saya frowned. As he walked out of ear-shot, she mumbled under her breath.

"Fat chance." She grabbed the handle of the door, pushing the slab of wood open. "One way or another, trouble always finds me." Saya slowly entered the threshold, the room beyond much larger than what she had expected. She had no idea the lair underground was so huge, especially if just one room took up this much space. The training grounds before her spanned in length and height rivaling the meeting room in which she had spoken with the Akatsuki leader. There was more than enough room for two of these S-classed men to spar in a full-out exercise, without getting in one another's way. Along the wall behind her was a large assortment of weapons, ranging from simple nun chunk, to sheathed katana. The floor was made of a sturdy rock of some sort, and the walls were brightly lit with unwavering lights.

Saya let out a low whistle.

Akatsuki must be loaded.

Absolutely filthy rich.

She rubbed her chin. Well, then again, all they did was earn money killing. She made a face and hung her arms.

Duh.

Shaking away the pestering thoughts, she strode over to the interesting weapons, shiny and pretty and _so_ asking to be used. She rubbed her hands together and grinned mercilessly.

Oh, this would be fun.

So much fun.

Inwardly sniggering, Saya brushed away past the calling knives and swords, and casually sat near the center of the room. Of course, the knives were pretty, and she would love to grasp them firmly in her palms, swing them, parry, feign. The whole she-bang. But she knew her priorities.

First, and foremost, muscle distribution. Strength. Flexibility. Agility. Then strategy.

She didn't know how long she had left until the solstice, but she guessed she had at least three weeks left. Maybe more.

Saya had stayed in shape throughout the years. How else would she have taken care of herself? Pfft.

Okay, so maybe she didn't take _care_ of herself, but she didn't laze around all day, everyday. She had run errands, albeit easy ones, and stayed on her feet. However, she was still a bit rusty. She'd admit that, grudgingly, but it was still true. So a healthy session or two of hard core training should do the trick. And now that her withdrawal symptoms were slowly fading, she would be able to concentrate more.

She plopped down onto the ground, which was surprisingly soft and it cradled her bottom. Mouth slightly agape, she patted the floor around her, testing out the bounciness of the stone, which really didn't feel like stone.

For a few moments, she had fun playing with the ground, until she suddenly stopped.

"This is silly." She mumbled to herself. With that, she began her exercises.

/

"We're leaving in one day." Kisame looked up from his arm gear, which he had been polishing the blood from.

"Is that so? What about the onna?" He asked. He placed the gear to the side of his seat on the sofa. Itachi sat across from him on a loveseat, both in a common room near both of their temporary dwellings. A simple tea table was between them, two cups of cooled tea in plain cups.

"She will come as well." Kisame raised a brow.

"Yeah? In the shape she's in? Doubtful." He tsked and adjusted his guards back onto his arms, fitting them so they adjusted right.

"If she can sneak around the base, she is fit enough to travel." Itachi folded his fingers and leaned back into the comfort of the chair. The simple moments such as these were becoming more and more of a rarity. It was best to take refuge in such times, for who knew when it would be their last?

"Sneak around the base?" Kisame paused. "Wait, where is the gakI?"

"I left her in the training room yesterday."

"The training room? What's she doing in there?"

"…Training." It wasn't very often that his partner was sarcastic so blatantly, so Kisame couldn't help but chuckle at the Uchiha.

"Maybe I should go check on her, and see if she's stabbed herself with a kunai yet." He sniggered. Itachi didn't respond, only staring thoughtfully at his mug. "I don't get something." Kisame fisted his hand, turning his arm and testing the restraints. He looked up to his partner. "Just what is this King of Hell summon? Why does Leader-sama want it? And why is it that the onna knows it?" He corrected himself. "Just who is she?" Itachi was usually laconic, quiet, and Kisame had gotten used to that. However, he was hoping for some input on his questions.

But of course, Itachi merely narrowed his eyes. He stood from his seat and moved to the door. Kisame sighed, knowing he was hoping for too much. Shrugging it off, he decided it was time to go mess with the onna. It had been a bit too long since their last confrontation, and he needed to work out the cramps in his legs.

/

Saya hefted herself up once again, sweat glistening on her body and dripping from her face. Her clothes were torn and ragged from travel, and she didn't doubt that she was a terrible sight. Still, she continued with her push-ups, going on number two-thousand. She was pushing it, but hey, that's what ninja did. She frowned at that though, giving another push.

Then again, she wasn't a ninja.

Saya had been training, obviously. She had been training, hard, as she had set out to do.

But she was surprised.

Confounded.

Absolutely stunned

She had no idea she would actually…

Well, that she would actually get _better_.

Because, when she though about it, she realized it would take a good long while for her to strengthen her vapid muscles and deprived system.

But…..

It had been two days, almost, and already she was exceeding. It was weird, but hey, that was just fine. Maybe it was some sort of Akatsuki drug in the air. Like steroid oxygen.

She grinned, pushing up again, this time with only one arm.

Damn, she felt good.

"Look what the cat coughed up."

And instantly, her grin dropped to a frown. She huffed and refused to look up to Hoshigake.

"Ne? Onna, you're lookin a little worse for wear. Whatcha been doing in here, playing janken?" Saya ignored his jibe, making the last few moves in her workout. With that, she flipped onto her back, arms flung outwards, and stared up at the man.

"Good morning, Hoshigake." She drawled. He grinned at her sour attitude, and noted her expression.

"It's midnight, baka."

"Like I would know. We're freakin underground."

"There's a clock on the wall."

"Well, I obviously didn't know that."

"Use your head, onna."

"Only after you use yours. So, basically, I'll never use it"

"You just insulted yourself."

"Yeah, but I insulted you at the same time, so it's all good." Kisame grinned.

"It looks like you're feeling better. All the booze finally drain out of your system?" He casually shifted Samehada off of his back, leaning against it as he watched Saya begin to roll from side to side. He was without his cloak, only in his under gear that was rarely seen.

Saya swayed back and forth on the floor, staring at the ceiling and biting the skin on her thumb. But then she froze, suddenly realizing who was above her. Swiftly, she rolled backwards and hopped up onto her feet, balancing on the balls of her toes and finally leveling herself out. She looked over her shoulder.

"Wouldn't matter if the sake was in or out, I'd still outmaneuver you any day." She grinned.

But of course, Kisame only grinned back at her. He had come to understand that her smart talking wasn't really arrogance, but rather some type of game to her. She enjoyed banter, and that's why she had always poked at him, attempting to start a game of who's more fluent with phrase. It took him a while, but he noticed it in the tone of her voice. There was no flamboyance, only mischief.

"Wanna put that to the test?" He swung his sword horizontally, a battle-ready smirk playing across his features. Saya's eye glinted in the light as she turned her face away from him. Then, spinning around, she took a stance.

"Only if you're ready to fail!" She laughed. Taking that as a yes, Kisame charged her, pulling his blade back, ready to swing.

There was a brief pause between Kisame's initial movement, and his sudden appearance before Saya. Time slowed, for just a mere second, as Saya bent backwards, dodging Kisame's prickly and power-hungry sword. She fell onto her back, and in another second, quickly spun around, swiping her legs underneath his own in attempt to trip him in his attack.

Kisame saw through this, and as time reverted back to its normal passage, he jumped, missing her technique, and shoving his blade down upon her form. A soft smile now forming, Saya flipped back on a handspring and landed neatly a few steps away, only to be barraged with numerous parries and swipes from her opponent. Ducking, turning, and twisting, she sidestepped each one of his strikes, and avoided touching even a breadth of the chakra-stealing Samehada. Sweat flew off of her face and glistened as she pranced around his blows, the smile slowly widening as the adrenaline increased.

Saya never really cared for ninjutsu. It wasn't that she wasn't good at it; it's just that she preferred the physical rush of taijustu over mostly stationary skills. That, and now that her chakra system was screwed up, she didn't have too much energy to spare. That being said, most of her justsu were flashy, and required massive amounts of chakra. Well, more chakra than she had. Regardless, because of the aforementioned preference, Saya resorted to kicks and faints. Spinning around, she backed away from the proximity of the swordsman before jumping forward and aiming her pokes and soft prods to all his major pressure points. However, Kisame noticed what she was doing, and evaded them.

With a high kick, she jabbed her foot at Kisame's wrist, but missed as he backed away and took another stance.

"You're faster than before." Kisame commented, grasping Samehada.

"Oh? I thought you were just slower. That's good to know." Her smile turned impish. Kisame was about to continue their spar, but a loud voice interrupted his advance.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Kisame repressed a sigh as he straightened up to look at Hidan, who stood impatiently at the entrance of the room.

"It's a training room, and they're sweaty. Put two and two together." Sho snapped, placing a hand on his hip as he strode up from behind the Jashinist.

"Eat a dick, Shotaro-teme. Better yet, why don't you grow one, you pussy." Hidan snarled, walking towards the rack of weapons. He glared at both Saya and Kisame. "I'm training with the man-whore, so fuck off." Saya raised a brow and stood limply.

"I guess this means I'm going back to my dungeon." She mumbled, rubbing her head. Kisame threw her a glance. She was different. She acted different. Whether it was from lack of alcohol, he didn't know, but she seemed almost…

Well, she seemed more reasonable than before. At least a little more, anyway.

"Not for long, onna. Leader gave us a mission, and you're coming with us. So clean yourself up and get ready to leave." He swung Samehada onto his back, his excitement dampened by the interruption of the fight.

"Yeah? Where are we going?"

"You'll see soon enough, onna."

"My name is Saya, Hoshigake. Not 'Onna'." Saya sent him a pointed frown. Kisame made his way to the door, not allowing her to see the grin on his face.

"So what?" Saya bristled.

"So call me by my name, Tuna-face." She asked dully. Kisame chortled.

"Ha," He scoffed, turning back to face her, "Let me tell you this, _onna_. The day I call you by your given name will be the day I actually care what you think." He turned back to the door and waved a hand. "Hope you're ready to wait until Hell freezes over. You've got two hours until we leave." And with that, Kisame left the room, leaving two laughing onlookers and a twitching Saya. Oh, he got the last laugh.

For now.

But in a mere two hours, that would definitely not be the case. If Hoshigake Kisame thought that was the end of this conversation, he was sadly mistaken. Saya was feeling as fit as a flute, which meant she was ready for some major action. In other words, Hoshigake better watch out, 'cause Saya didn't only know how to argue. She also knew how to screw with people, and very, very well.

Saya's twitching eye stilled as thoughts of revenge filled her mind for the verbal slaughter that Kisame enacted in front of two arrogant Akatsuki members, who would most likely hold it to her for quite some time.

Not the greatest second impression.

With a long, drawn-out sigh, Saya followed Kisame's suit, and began her trek back to her room, and hopefully a shower.

"Hey onna, you could blow off some off some of that steam with me!" Hidan smirked at Saya, swinging a small scythe in her direction. It flew in a blink straight at Saya's head.

In another blink, Saya caught the blades pommel, spun around, and chucked it back at the silver-haired man, only for it to embed itself into his chest. Saya didn't bat an eye as she left the room, in search for some clean clothes and a bathroom.

Hidan cursed as he yanked the weapon from his flesh, a squelching noise sounding as it ripped the wound open wider. Sho only sucked his teeth in annoyance as he fingered some kunai and a small dagger, waiting intolerantly for his awaited training session.

**So, that's it for this chapter (Obviously). I figure I'll add a fluff scene in the next, just a little fluff. Like reduced fat marshmallow fluff. I'll also send 'em off onto their mission, where they'll encounter some old friends, a hooker with an awesome attitude, and…..well, you'll see. **

**Oh, and yes. I did make the 'songs' up. Some of them are songs, some are just phrases or rhymes. I'm glad you like 'em. **

**Oh, and I'm also happy to see people appreciating the way I portray Kisame. Actually, I thought I was doing him a major injustice, and that I had him OOC. Any suggestions are always appreciated. And thanks for all those reviews, guys. Once again, they're the only reason I update.**

**Hm, I'm adding this even after I updated, but I'm really wondering something and it won't get offa my mind. What do you guys visualize when you think of Saya? If any of y'all happen to be particularly good at drawing, or you're just bored completely outta yer mind to the point of ripping fingernails out, draw me a pretty picture. You know, of Saya. I thought it would be sorta cool. Obviously, you don't have to, but if you're up to the challenge, then hey, knock yourself out. Deviantart is usually the best to upload at, by the way.**

**Later**

**~Serb**


	13. Ch 13: A Mothers Perogative

**DISCLAIMER:** **The song mentioned is not mine. Don't remember the name of it, but it's from an old movie. Neither is the plum story. That's from the Joy Luck Club. I just really liked the lesson learned. **

Tracking down Hoshigake took a few moments but Saya finally caught up with the blue bugger. You see, just seconds after their tiff, Saya realized that she not only had no idea where a shower might be, but she also had no clean clothes. Reluctantly she sped off towards where she thought she had seen Hoshigake go, and then sniffing out his chakra signature, she pin-pointed his destination.

Rounding the corner, she stopped in mid step when she met the sight of not only the swordsman, but also the one and only Uchiha. It seemed as though they were conversing outside a doorway, about what though, she knew not. Both men gave her their attention as they heard her arrival.

"So," She began, waltzing the rest of the way towards them, "Ya think you guys could help a poor girl out for a minute?" She rubbed her head, feeling awkward in the situation she was in. Kisame snorted.

"What could you possibly want now?" He demanded, obviously a little ticked that she had interrupted their talking. Feeling even more awkward, Saya nonchalantly shrugged his impatience off. Itachi watched her expression, waiting for her response.

She suddenly couldn't hold back a smirk, one which she hid behind a fanned palm.

"Well, you see, I have no idea where the shower and, or bath may be." She paused and grinned wider. "I also need clean clothes. Care to help me out?"

"No." Kisame grunted turning his back to her, his grumpy mood settling in once more. Her smile hadn't faltered, but her eyebrow began twitching ever so slightly.

"There is a shower next door to your room." Itachi answered quietly. "You may borrow Kisame's and my clothes for the time being." Saya clapped her hands together in thanks, a tired smile replacing the forced grin.

"Many thanks Uchiha, I owe ya one. I stink worse than Hoshigake at low tide, and I urgently need to clean up" Kisame scrunched up his nose at the mention of his name, and crossed his arms loosely.

"And since when has tidiness been a worry of yours? Last time I checked you were a homeless bum." Saya, seemingly unperturbed by his slander, simply rolled her eyes.

"I may not be the epitome of womanly virtue, Hoshigake, but I'm not a slob." She retorted. "So, may I have the clothes now? I'd rather not prance around naked." Itachi turned around and opened the door, which was presumably to his or Kisame's room. Perhaps both.

"I'd rather you not, too." Kisame mumbled under his breath. "I think I'd be scarred."

"Wait here." Itachi commanded, disappearing into the opening. Saya ticked her head to the side, a dark aura seeping from her pores.

"**Hoshigake**." Her eyes zeroed in on him, the pupils pin-point. "Did you say something?" She asked sweetly. Hardly impressed, Kisame grunted.

"Might wanna get your ears checked, onna. I didn't say a word."

"What's your problem, Fish-Sticks? On the rag again?" Saya snidely flipped her hand out, her eyes half-lidded, and her canines particularly noticeable at the moment. Kisame whipped his face to the side to glare at her hatefully.

"Onna, I'm going to rip you apart!" He snarled. Saya only mocked him with hand gestures, increasing Kisame's already high blood pressure. Suddenly, a ball of cloth was hurled at Saya's face, taking her by surprise. She quickly threw up her arms to catch the clothing, Itachi's voice emanated from the rooms darkness.

"Be ready in an hour. When you are done, follow the roots up to the entrance and wait for us." With that, the door was slammed shut, leaving only Kisame and Saya with each others company. Saya chuckled inwardly, adjusting the clothes in her grasp. She did a sloppy salute to Kisame before turning on her heel and sauntering away.

"Later, Hoshigake." She waved a hand in the air lazily, a yawn escaping in mid sentence. Kisame shouldered Samehada before turning his own way.

/

Saya frowned.

Okay, so it was more of a scowl.

You know what I mean, right? 'Cause there's definitely a difference between a frown and a scowl: A scowl is much more dramatic. Way more. In fact, it's like a completely different image of discontentment.

Anyway, she was scowling. Sure, the bathroom had been easy enough to find. The shower had hot water. It was even stocked with soap; soap that smelled for 'Passionate Pomegranate' . Of course, when she noted this, she couldn't hold back a hearty, bellowing laugh that most likely disturbed most of the underground inhabitants. (In fact, this is true. As Hidan was finishing his training with Sho, both paused in mid-argue to raise a brow at the echoing guffaw: Kakuzu looked up from his money counting and bill-balancing: Itachi blinked, but it was a distinguishable blink: Sasori tiredly looked up from his work, but only to continue once more: Kisame muttered under his breath about crazy women while getting dressed: the yet-mentioned Zetsu, who was just arriving at the base from above, wondered who was laughing so loudly and interrupting the peaceful silence: and a shadowy figure, also yet mentioned, scoffed in disgust at the strange disturbance in the air.)

Moving on, Saya had lathered up and washed away a couple of weeks worth of grime and dirt, completely purified her hair of yuckiness (Yeah, I just said that, sue me), and dried herself off nicely. All in all, it was a very relaxing ritual, one she didn't get to partake in very often, and the shower was pretty nice as well

So what was making Saya not just frown, but scowl?

The clothes lent to her…

As she glanced in the mirror in the bathroom, she attempted one more time to right the hakama pants she was given. They were plain and black, probably Hoshigake's according to the length. They were a bit too long for Saya, and since she was actually Itachi's height, she imagined that the largeness of the pants dubbed them Hoshigakes. She yanked on the meager obi wrapped around her petite waist, tying it forcefully into a tight knot. The scowl subsided and left a smile at her handiwork.

The top was also just tad big on her: It consisted of a thin, navy blue material with elbow-length sleeves. The first tie-knot didn't start until mid bosom, so the neck hole was oversized and hung at her shoulders loosely. Thankfully, she had hand washed her black bra, which was still intact, and it served as an undershirt so she wouldn't be too revealing. She simply tucked in the shirt to the side of her pants to remedy the length of the shirt as well.

She easily slipped her geta sandals back on, humming cheerfully. Her turban was regretfully….well, it was dirty beyond repair, so she tossed it along with her other old clothes. There was just no coming back from where those garments had gone.

Her hair tie was still usable, though, so she pulled up her thick locks into what could best be called a bun (It wasn't really, because her hair was too thick. In fact, most of her hair fell to her shoulders, but she didn't really care much) Whistling a tune, Saya cleaned up her mess before unlocking the door.

Just as she did, she looked once more at the mirror. A curving black tattoo, which had once been hidden by her haori, revealed itself along the side of her neck, and if inspected, landed itself on the back of her neck. The smile kept, and she made her way out, ready for travel and whatever the day brought. Her head was clear, her mood was great, Hoshigake's humility was hers for the taking….

And so was her revenge.

Or what she would like to call, justice.

/

A long time ago, before an illness claimed her mothers life, Sayuri had been very close to her mother. Her elder sister more so, for the first born almost always has more time spent with the parents. However, Saya was the one who was the apple of her fathers eye.

But that is another matter, for a different time.

Sayuri spent most of her young days within the sphere of her mothers watchful eye. Her sister, her mother, and her would visit the villages stands and near-by relatives on some days while playing in their gardens and the beach on others. Truth be told, Saya's early childhood was very much care-free, untouched by the war.

One day, a day in which the manor held her attention and Saya had no Jin nor Katsutoshi, who has yet to be notably mentioned, to play with, she and her family sat leisurely within their manor. Rather, her elder sister of five years sat calmly within the confines of an open room, sewing a pattern. Her mother also sat, but on the outside corridors floor, which was raised only a mere foot from the backyards garden. Saya herself, only four at the time, studied a resting grasshopper on a lone leaf of a small flower. She wondered if she could catch the insect and show her mother how pretty the green exoskeleton was. As she prepared to pounce, the creature leapt from its position, as if expecting the attack, and hopped away swiftly. Saya frowned and smacked her hands on her knees, unhappy with her failure. As she began mumbling under her breath, her mother interrupted her.

"Catching wild things can be hard, ne?" Her mothers smile stretched across her face, and warmed Saya's insides.

"Mama, how did it know I was gonna catch it?" She asked in a whine.

"It's because of that dumb face you make when you concentrate on things. It was scared away by that ugly expression" Her sister sniggered. Saya scowled and glared at the sewing girl.

"Now, now, Misa." Her mother cooed. She looked back at Saya. "How do you think it knew, Sa-chan?" Saya crossed her legs and thought for a moment. Of course, being so young, she simply told her mother what first came to mind.

"Because it saw me, right?" She murmured. Her mother nodded.

"It saw you, but it also felt you. Nature is a lot more knowledgeable than we give it credit. Besides," Her mother tilted her head, "Wild things aren't meant to be caught."

Saya's mother taught her many things. She hoped to curb any spoiled behavior that might arise from Saya's fathers adoration. Most of the lessons Saya learned came from her mothers instruction.

In fact, just before her mother fell ill, Saya learned the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy for winning not only arguments, but future battles as well. While out shopping one afternoon, her mother pulled her along the market aisles.

"Bite back your tongue," Her mother scolded when Saya cried out for a bag of salted plums. At the manor, her mother told her, "A wise person does not fight against the wind. Instead, come from which the wind originates, and blow with it. The strongest wind cannot be seen."

The next week Saya bit back her tongue as they entered the market and neared the plum stand. When her mother finished her shopping, she quietly plucked a small bag of plums from the mans assortment and paid for it with a handful of other items.

But what was Saya's favorite lesson, came in the form of a lullaby. It was one her mother sung every night, just before bed. She would plop beneath covers and listen with tired eyes to her mother, as her mother sat lightly near the end of her bed.

"_Like a tunnel that you follow_

_To a tunnel of it's own_

_Down a hollow to a cavern_

_Where the sun has never shone,_

_Like a door that keeps revolving_

_In a half forgotten dream,_

_Or the ripples from a pebble_

_Someone tosses in a stream_

_Is the sound of distant drumming_

_Just the fingers of your hand?_

_Pictures hanging in a hallway_

_And the fragment__of this song_

_Half remembered names and faces_

_But to whom do they belong?"_

Saya would fall asleep to her mothers sweet voice. However, Saya herself would not come to realize the songs true meaning until far after her mothers death, her fathers death, her sisters death, and ultimately….

But that is for another time.

/

"Eh, onna, what's it yer trying to do?" The giant rat, or otherwise 'Shacklebone Squirrel', clutched the tree branch next to Saya as she peered down at the entrance to the base. She stared down at the ground lazily, awaiting both Hoshigake and the Uchihas arrival.

"Ne, I was gonna throw this awesome prank on Ao-san, but I decided not to." She drawled. The rodent looked at her.

"You mean Hoshigake Kisame?"

"Un." She grunted. She supported her chin with her palm, and gazed silently downward.

"So what changed yer mind, ya know?" He chattered, crawling onto the other side of her. She sighed.

"Well, I sort of remembered something my Okaa-san once told me a long time ago."

"Oh? And what was that?" Saya continued her watchful lookout without blinking.

"To make a friend, one must first accept humility." She paused. "Of course, I don't really want to be friends with the tuna, but if I'm gonna be stuck with him, I may as well make it pleasant time spent." She nodded her head from side to side before sitting up and hanging her legs off of the branch. She finally met his gaze. "By the way, what's your name?" The summoning squirrel puffed out his chest and stood on his hind legs.

"M'name is Geshi, ya know?" He declared proudly.

"Ne?" Saya raised a brow. "Nice at meet ya, Feji-san. I'm Imatsura Sayuri." She swung her legs while he fumed.

"I am not fuzzy, Y'know! So don't call me that! I am the protector of this gateway and have been for a very long time, so respect the status, Y'know!"

"Whatever you say, Feji-san." She said in a monotone. Just then, the tree's trunk slid open and revealed both men as they emerged from its confines. She sighed.

"Guess this means it's time to go." She said. "Not much time before the solstice. Not much time to plot. I wonder if I'll be ready to reclaim what I have always sought." She murmured. Geshi watched her with a funny expression.

"What's that supposed to mean, Imatsura Sayuri?" But Saya has already hopped down from her seat, and descended to the forest floor.

**Right.**

**Well, I know this is sorta going slow.**

**Boring.**

**Lame.**

**The works.**

**But I wanna cement it in, ya know? I'm trying to build up her background.**

**Regardless, the next chapter will reveal more of Sayas relationships as she's faced with old acquaintances. That, and a mouthful of humor on Kisames behalf. Suggestions on the plot are appreciated.**

**Thanks.**

**~Serb**


	14. Ch 14: No Happy Greetings

"We're tracking down a man by the name of Hajii Matsuko. He's a gang lord in a village near here, and we've been hired to exterminate him." Kisame said aloud. Saya fiddled with the side of her shirt, a loose thread holding her attention as she delicately yanked it, trying to separate it from the rest of the material. Apparently the village was a small fishing village, near the coast and bordering on a large lake. It was also dangerously close to one particular village that Saya personally didn't want to visit. In fact, she would much rather jump off a cliff…

She flinched. Poor choice in words, ne Saya?

"Oi, Hoshigake. Were you born blue, or did you accidentally bathe in indigo when you were a child?" She wondered innocently.

"I don't know onna, were you dropped on your head a few times, or were you born this stupid?" He retorted. _So much for maturing, even being sober she's still an annoying wench, _Kisame thought to himself.

"So why does Geshi-san guard the base door?" Saya changed the subject suddenly. The fur-ball had bade them a farewell before hampering back off into the branches, leaving Saya to the mercy of the two men. Kisame, chuckling to hide something Saya never saw, had regarded her state of dress with a quick glance before adjusting Samehada on his back. Itachi, but of course, silently began walking in a direction, leaving Saya to trail behind them leisurely.

"He's a summoning of a past Akatsuki member that died a while back. His summoner liked this base in particularly, so even when he died, the rodent stayed in his memory." He paused. "Besides, Leader made some deal with him." Saya scoffed.

"And let me guess, you have no idea what it is." She twirled her wrist as she ripped the thread.

Kisame grunted in reply, but otherwise made no move to contradict her assumption. "So am I getting paid for this or what, 'cause if I'm not then this is a total drag." She drawled.

"Leader did not specify." Itachi murmured.

"Besides, what do you need money for? You can't drink anymore." Kisame asked. Saya watched both men's backs as she slipped her feet along the grass. The day was just beginning, the sun just starting to arise from the shadows, casting long shapes between the trees and bushes.

"Well, for one, I need new clothes…" She replied. "Wearing your stuff makes me look like a geisha or something."

"Or something." Kisame agreed. Saya shrugged, her half-lidded expression accenting her lazy attire and attitude. "Tell me onna," He continued "Why join Akatsuki? I thought you were some sort of police?" Saya snorted in mock reply before turning her gaze up at the tree tops.

"Why join, ne? That's a good question." She said. "I want to join because I want to."

"That's vague." Kisame sneered. She shrugged again, the path they were traveling becoming more distinct in the morning light.

"And as for the police part, no. I was not 'some sort of police'."

"Then what are you?" Kisame wasn't usually so inclined to making small talk, especially with annoying, unfeminine women. However, he was suspicious of Saya's ambitions, and would rather not be caught off guard if a time came when she would make trouble. It was a smart move on his part, but then again, Kisame wasn't dumb. But we already knew that.

"I'm not anything." She sighed. "What I was, was a captain commander for a squadron in the south. Here." She rolled her eyes to the left, where a rustle in the leaves made scratching noises. "It was a hereditary job, one my older sister exempted from through special circumstances. I was better built for the role anyways." She said on a side note. "So wait, do I actually have to do something, or can I go shopping while you guys are out killing this guy?" She suddenly asked.

"And with what money would you go shopping with, onna?" Kisame snidely asked.

"Why, yours of course." She replied quickly. Kisame looked back at her as she sleepily regarded him. "Or would you like me to waltz around in your clothes all the time, ne? She asked. She smiled in a feline manner. "I bet you just like that idea, dontcha?" Kisame turned back around and made a sound.

"Don't get too full of yourself." He called back.

"Why, want me to save you some?" She called out. Kisame would have stuttered if he weren't used to this sort of banter. But he was, especially considering how many visits he had to make into ghettos that contained brothels, for mission purposes of course. He had heard much worse in those situations. Besides, he was a grown man.

"Don't make me sick." He threw back at her. She shrugged, yes, for a third time.

"Your loss."

The morning continued quietly as the sun rose sluggishly above the trio's heads. The tree's hid them in the safety of shade, a cool breeze ruffling the leaves every now and then. They were nearing the village that had the targeted suspect, only a mere thirty minute walk away. But as they got closer, Saya also suspected a sentinel group would spot them. Even if the Uchiha's genjustu magic hid them as well as it probably did, it didn't really matter with these guys. A dispel charm was embedded in their armor, one strong enough to even disarm an Uchiha's work. In fact, the charm was specifically made for the purpose of facing the Uchiha line, a long time ago when Madara Uchiha himself left what was now the Hidden Leaf. In fear of him starting a coup among the nations, the Imatsura clan, taking precautions, sought out a renown genjustu specialist in the far north. The clan wanted something that could easily defend it's underlings in case of an attack, something that would allow its soldiers to concentrate on other things while in the heat of battle and not have to worry over illusions. The Imatusura's got what they wanted, to say the least.

It might sound iffy, but the southern unit was immaculate in the art of battle strategy, and such planning was usual among the leaders of the squad.

Surprisingly enough, however, they were left uncomforted, and the three entered the village without trouble.

This left Saya with a stone in her belly, for reasons of her own.

Regardless, they arrived at the village in easy time and without hassles of any sort. It was a bustling village, actually, filled with many vendors and markets selling mostly foods, but also the occasional rare jewelry and what-not. There were even some clothes shops, a couple catching Saya's attention. The buildings weren't very high, but they were closely built together, providing only the main street for mobility other than a few narrow alleyways and side yards.

Truth be told, Itachi, Kisame, and Saya didn't stick out too much among the fruitful characters buying and selling merchandise. For a fishing village, the place was huge. It wasn't at all what Saya remembered it as. Then again, almost a decade could change a place, especially if it was doing financially well, and it seemed to be doing just that. A group of children laughed playfully as they ran by the three strangers, chasing after a dog that held a ball in its slobbering mouth. A couple of mothers chuckled nearby and a couple of marketers beckoned to the passer-buyers.

"I can't imagine gang activity in this village." Saya said. Suddenly a fist fight broke out near a ramen stand, curses flying up in the air along with blood from a spurting broken nose. She deadpanned. "Never mind." She added. She looked up to Kisame and Itachi, a twinkle in her eye. "So…" Kisame looked to her as Itachi stopped by a vendor buying rare goods, or so said his sign.

"So what onna?" Kisame snapped. Saya rubbed the back of her head and looked to the side tiredly. Then, she whipped her eyes back to him.

"Give me some cash." She told him.

"And what makes you think I should do that?"

"I'm prettier than you." She replied, as if the answer were obvious. He scoffed.

"What type of reason is that?"

"The only one yer gonna get, Baka-teme." She stuck out her tongue, pulling at her eyes. Kisame was about to throw a kunai at her, but Itachi turned back from a smiling vendor, facing the two, and handed Saya a small sack of Ryo. Saya handled the bag, testing its weight before grinning.

"Use the money wisely." Itachi said before continuing down the road. Kisame clucked his tongue, closing his eyes in discontent.

"Don't do anything stupid, onna. We'll find you when we're done." He turned to follow Itachi. "And if you even think about running away, we'll find you and drag you back to the base by your hair before locking you up in the dirtiest room available." He waved. "And we'll hang you by your toes." Saya threw him a Cheshire grin.

"I'm shaking in my sandals, fish-face. Don't trip and die, Baka ka."

"Ama." He grumbled under his breath. The woman got under his skin so bad he could strangle a small child without remorse. As he caught up with Itachi, he spoke with him.

"You're spoiling her. What did you sell to get that much?" Itachi's eyes were focused to the right, near the next district, and where their target was. Both of their cloaks rustled in the cool breeze that wafted through the streets.

"An old trinket." He responded. Kisame shrugged and adjusted the his straw hat, a little bloodthirsty and definitely ready for a fight.

/

Saya smiled contently about an hour or so later, holding an ice cream cone in her hand that contained two large scoops of vanilla. She licked it, savoring the sweet taste. Her shopping had been quite successful: That being an understatement. She had spent almost none of the money Itachi had given her, which actually made her quite proud. Saya had never been much of a shopper, not even when she was younger. But she did know how to talk to people. More so, she knew how to confuse people. Looking down at her new attire, she smiled. The shop had been fairly big, with a handful of other women glancing at the skirts and shoes that it had. It was nestled in between a bookstore, and a weapon store among the buildings on the street the two Akatsuki members had left her on. A few cat-calls and whistles from a group of rowdy men later, Saya had walked into the store, confident in what she was looking for: Something durable, something mobile, and anything that would get her out of Hoshigakes pants. She had twitched at that thought and almost immediately ripped them off right then and there, and she would have had a preteen girl not ran into her while rushing to a stand of blouses with floral patterns.

Making quick work of what they had to offer, Saya had a bit of fun trying on a few outfits before settling on one she knew would be most applicable to her situation. Looking to the mirror, she approved of the set. They were women's white dress hakama that had a two inch thick waist band, and made of very fine cloth. The top was a tank top, similar to her old one, but an aqua color rather than black. But of course, she needed something to go over it, so she browsed over the over-shirts in the way back. Unfortunately, though, she found nothing that caught her eye. Shrugging it off, she went next in search of new shoes, but also found nothing that really caught her attention. But she was fine with this, for the sandals she wore, though old and very easy to slip out of, were extremely durable and she was used to them as it was. As she was about to purchase her items, she came across a thick black scarf, one that could hold up her hair nicely as her bandana once had. So snatching that up, she made her way to the store owner. The man had been stingy at first, asking a decent but also hefty price for her stuff. But like I said before, Saya knew how to talk to people. After a few bartering techniques, and a few little white lies about fake silk among those pretty dresses in the back (A hunch, but a correct one), she got the price down to almost making the outfit free. Satisfied, she changed out of Hoshigakes clothes and into her simple new ones, then walking out of the store, she threw the old clothes into a trash bin that hosted a flaring fire, letting them roast into dust. Smacking away the nonexistent dust on her hands, and leaving behind two confused old men who were watching her, she strode away, ready to look at other stands.

She took the time to glance around, finding a few cool and strange toys and objects. Soon, though, her feet led her around and soon she found herself inside a musky and dusty little shop. An elderly woman stood near a rack of moth-eaten cloaks, the shop devoid of any other life besides that of ants and perhaps rodents. Wind chimes and sparkling dangling contraptions hung from the ceiling, and the sound of running water echoed from the back.

"Hello dear, how can I help you?" The woman had said. Her wispy white hair was pulled into a loose bun on her head, and she was dressed in jaded colors, large rings atop each one of her fingers.

"To tell you the truth," Saya admitted, "I'm looking for an over coat, something lightweight and easy to move in." The woman rubbed her chin for only a second before walking over to a small table. The table had an assortment of stones on it, cards, and a large clear crystal on a stand. The room was smoky, probably from the granny's pipe that was settled on the same table, and made the place smell of tobacco and something sweet but otherwise unidentifiable. Picking up a card, the woman clucked her tongue and looked back at Saya.

"I think I have just the thing." She croaked. Shuffling through a row of clothing, she pulled from it a faded blue haori, one similar to her disposed one, with mid-length sleeves and a length that would touch her mid-thigh. It had black trimming around it, and it, Saya thought, looked strangely familiar and acceptable. "I found this long ago. It was on the back of a spunky young woman, very beautiful she was. I had perky breasts back then…" Saya chuckled at the woman's rambling.

"Oh? And who was the girl?" Saya asked, playing along. The woman's eyes shined with a hidden amusement.

"The girl was from a village near here. She wanted to sell the jacket because I wanted to buy it from her. Very generous to do so, she was." The woman turned the shirt around, which revealed writing. Saya's eyes clicked the moment she saw the kanji sloppily scrawled down the back in white.

_To The Death_

A slow, coy smile lifted Saya's face.

"That was a long time ago, granny. I almost forgot. Why'd ya keep it so long?" She asked. The woman cackled, handing the haori back to Saya.

"So I could give it back to you when you came to visit me again. I adjusted the length and fitting, so it should still fit you." The woman walked back to the table, lit her pipe, and took a long drag from it, letting smoke drift from her nostrils.

"So how much do I owe ya?" Saya asked, trying the top on: It fit just as it had when she was fourteen. Perfectly.

"Nothing, it was my pleasure holding onto such a treasure. I'm just glad I could keep it safe while it otherwise might have met its demise" She replied, delicately holding the pipe. Saya looked up to her.

"How did you know it was a-."

"I just do." She interrupted Saya. The shirt had been given to her by her father before he died, knowing how much Saya loved to brawl with his soldiers. He had seen Saya's fighting potential when she was very young, her style very liberal and very…street. Never the less, it was efficient and she was quick, unlike her sister. Her sister had been born a girl, with no battle talent what-so ever. This was why Saya had been his favorite. That, and he got along better with Saya altogether. He preferred Saya's easy-going, witty, and hard-working attitude over her sisters catty, empathetic, and high-maintained personality.

It was the only thing her father had ever given her, including birthdays.

Bowing, Saya inclined her head and thanked the woman deeply. As she turned to leave, the woman called back to her. As Saya went to look around, she threw something at her, something Saya easily caught in the air. Opening her palm, she saw it to be a prayer bead necklace, akin to the kind Buddhist priests wear. She raised a brow at the woman, who gave a coy smile of her own.

"For luck." She explained. Shrugging, Saya put on the necklace and waved the woman goodbye before going in search for a snack.

And that's where we are now.

Euphoric with her finds, Saya licked the cone happily as she walked down the street. She was nearing the next district, and the vendors were fewer in numbers in the area she was in: There were about five spread among a few alley-ways leading to the opening of area she stood in. Another group of children sat near a small fountain just ahead of her, eating dango and telling jokes. A larger group of elderly ladies sat near-by, gossiping and sharing cooking secrets. There was a prick at the edge of Saya's conscience to her right. With a smile and another lick of her treat, Saya stuck her leg out in front of her, suddenly tripping someone who was speeding by at startling pace. Whoever it was slammed into the cobbled path, a bloody puddle beginning to form, probably from a broken nose. A few of the children turned their attention to Sayas victim as he groaned from the impact. Moments later, a form strode out from a shadowy alley, and another jumped down from one of the buildings, sheathing a large blade, gaining a few looks from the pedestrians.

Hoshigake Kisame and Uchiha Itachi.

Both walked up to Saya, who continued to eat her snack with large licks and a bright smile.

"So who's this?" She asked. Kisame grabbed the scruff of the mans neck, bringing him to his feet as he let out a gurgled gasp.

"One of Matsuko's men. It seems they were expecting an assassination attempt, so they replaced him with a decoy." He shook the man in emphasis. "Once we get answers out of him, we need to contact Leader and depending on this rats answers, will decide where we go next." Saya took the last bite of her ice cream, smacking away at the taste.

/

They were back on the path in the dense forest that surrounded the market, away from the fishing village that Saya had forgotten the name of. According to the man, the Matsuko guy was in another village, and not just any village.

Omashu village. The village just a few silly miles away from Sayas exiled home.

This information had put a dampen on Sayas good mood. And now, they were on their way there.

The joys of irony.

She was walking along side both men, on the right of Itachi in the light of dusk. However, Saya jumped up when she remembered something.

"Oh! Uchiha," She dug in the pocket of her haori, grabbing something as both men halted to wait for her as she retrieved an object. From her clothes she grabbed the small satchel of money Itachi had given her earlier, basically just as full as it had been when he had given it to her. Smiling, she held it out to Itachi. "Here's your money back. I only needed a little." She said. Itachi regarded her for a moment before accepting the money and placing it in his ninja bag on his hip (AKA Fanny Pack, because we all know that's what it is. That's right, ninjas wear fanny packs. Straight up gangsta.). Kisame raised a brow.

"What'd you do, steal your clothes? There's hardly any money missing."

Saya gave him a feline smirk, her pupils almost narrowed.

"They say women are the best shoppers." She checked her nails and looked at him. "They're right." He snorted.

"By the way, what's up with that haori? 'To the death'?" He questioned her. She gave him a knowing smile as they continued walking.

"Quite a find, ne?" They walked on in silence for a few minutes as the sun dipped lower and lower, casting an orange glow. Saya began to widen her small smile to a wide grin.

"We're being followed." Itachi murmured.

"There's ten of them." Kisame added. Saya nodded, a grim but happy motion.

"I'm surprised you could sense them. Back in the day it was almost impossible to do such a thing." Her hands were in her pockets, her shoulders relaxed as she brought them up to fold behind her head. Both men stopped and looked back at her.

" 'Them' who?" Kisame asked aloud as Itachi activated his Sharringan. He looked back to Saya and regarded her with cold eyes.

"Come on out boys, we already know you're there. Must be getting rusty with your leader's bad habits." She called out. There was a rustle above them in the foliage before eight figures descended before them in a flurry of leaves. They were all dressed in blue and black armor, a sea-shell symbol on the front of each breast-plate. Two swords were attached to each one of their hips on the right, and they all wore black eye masks tied around their heads and knotted in the back. At least two were women: One in the back and one beside the leading figure in the front formation. The first three rose from a kneeling position, including the woman, and the leading one spoke.

"Sotaicho, you are violating your sentence. Leave now willingly, or we will be forced to make you." The man said sternly, addressing Saya. Saya only smiled at him as she looked above her. Then, looking back down, she watched the man as he stiffly observed her. Kisame and Itachi took note of the group, all seemingly young, and probably in their late teens. Itachi's age, at most. Kisame wondered if this had something to do with the woman's old job. The group really didn't look like any anbu he knew, so he assumed it was this southern detention unit thing the woman supposedly once lead. According to the way the leader addressed her, it obviously was. In his opinion, it was a group of brats, easily taken care of.

"Is that you Jushiro? Wow, you've grown quite a bit." She commented lightly, lowering her arms and giving a shrug. "Sorry, but you see, my friends and I have some business, and we can't leave until it's finished." As if suddenly noticing both Akatsuki men, the so-called Jushiro regarded both of them, his mouth firmly forming a harsh frown as he noted their cloaks and headbands. After inspecting both Itachi and Kisame carefully, he returned his gaze back to Saya.

"Sotaich-No. Imatsura. I see you are now associated with Akatsuki." He seemed to be glaring at her now. "You have fallen even lower, _scum_. Much lower since you murdered-."

"Ne, Shiro-kun." Saya interrupted, here eyes opening. The man suppressed a shiver as Saya sent him a hard stare. "Little boys shouldn't talk about things they don't understand." She advised him a light voice. The man shifted his stance and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Is this that detention unit?" Kisame asked readily.

"Yeah, it's one of 'em." Saya dropped her arms completely.

"You no longer have any connections to them, correct?" Itachi questioned. Saya gazed at the Uchiha.

"No. But it wouldn't matter if I did, would it?" Itachi didn't answer him, but she knew what he would say.

"Brats." Kisame sneered, handling the hold of his own sword. Itachi unbuttoned his cloak to allow him more room for jutsu. In fact, he already ensnared five of the eight in an illusion, easily as that.

Or so he thought.

"We cannot allow criminals to wander free, especially in our domain." The man said, wielding a thin sword from its sheath. "Prepare to be eliminated." The rest of the group took fighting positions, readying themselves to take on not only two, probably powerful Akatsuki members, but also their exiled commander. Saya chuckled.

"Shiro-kun, if you guys are as bad at fighting as you are at hiding, then maybe you should tone down the arrogance a bit, ne?" She asked. The man spat, raising his sword in a leisure twirl.

"Ete-baka. We'll make you grovel for mercy once we're done with you!" And with that, he spun to attack.

/

"Oh Yin, it seems as though Saya-Oneesan is almost home! Brining her back is going to be so much easier than we thought!" Fuu giggled and spun around to punch victoriously into the air with a fist. Both were in the midle of a small bridge hovering over a steadily flowing river.

"But first we must travel back home ourselves." Yin said quietly. Fuu instantly sunk to the ground.

"Neeeeaw, Yin-chan! Why'd ya have to remind me, ne?" Fuu dragged herself up to the bridge's railing, drooping over the side. "We're forever and a day away!" She continued to complain.

"Approximately forty kilometers." Yin corrected. Fuu smacked her face.

"That's _forever_!"

"It's two days."

"_Forever_!" Yin continued walking with dulled eyes, ignoring the other girls noises.

"She's been confronted." Yin added. Fuu smacked her face again, this time with more emphasis.

"See! We're missing all the action!"

"We are missing the beginning" Yin corrected again. Her feet made contact with a dirt path, one that was lined with thickening trees and tropical flowers. Fuu picked up her head, following the snowy girl with curious eyes.

"The beginning of what, Yin-chan?" She chirped. The wind picked up, howling and shifting Yin's white hair into the air as she clutched a small object in her palm. Without looking back to the bright girls form, which had began to follow in her footsteps, she answered.

"The beginning of the end."

.

.

.

.

"You're really creepy, ya know that Yin-chan?"

**Okay, just so ya know:**

**Baka ka, what Saya called Kisame, means 'stupid asshole'.**

**And what Kisame called Saya, 'Ama', means 'bitch'. **

**Also, what Jushiro calls Saya, Sotaicho, means 'Captain Commander. He also calls her 'Eme', which means 'Outcast'.**

**WARNING: I'll probably use a lot of Japanese slang in the future, just FYI.**

**Thanks for the recent reviews guys, and I apologize that the last chapter was so short. I hope this one was okay. Regardless, I'll update again soon, and hopefully with some action you guys will like. I also hope Saya wasn't too mary-sue in this chapter. The reason she smiles so much, if you hadn't caught it, is so she can hide her internal insecurities. Not only that, but she finds it easier to smile than frown, and it's in her nature to be happy, even in bad situations. **

**Later.**

**~Serb**


	15. Ch 15: I Hate You, Sotaicho

**Hey.**

**If any of you've missed it, my names Serb.**

**Yes, I'm a girl, as most fanfic writers are.**

**I hate strawberries.**

**I enjoy long walks on the beach.**

**And I would like to believe my last update wasn't short, and actually was a decent size.**

**Ahem.**

**But according to a certain reader, that last chapter was…..Dare I say, **_**short**_**. **

**So, in order to curb that readers particular reading diet, I'm going to give you guys hell.**

**And make this chapter three times the size of the last one.**

**~Enjoy**

Have you ever wondered why a tree has bark?

No, of course you haven't.

But I'd like you to try, if only a moment.

Try to imagine the justification the tree has for thickening its skin to such a degree.

Is it scared of some opposing force for having such a thick, rough, protective layer?

Or perhaps, it is trying to hide something within the confines of its roots?

Why does the bark peel if it is meant to protect?

How does the bark grow back, and does it regret being so easily peeled?

Just what is it hiding? Just what is it so afraid of?

More importantly, does the bark itself wish to be more than just a barrier for the tree?

Is it an entity in itself?

A knight, clad in brown wood and ready to be the brunt of physical damage done to an organism that can never voice its appreciation?

Yes, that is good enough.

Just wonder faintly these thoughts.

Because, really, no one else will.

Just as no one will question or care for the existence of the knight, nor how sadly he may fall.

Nor the tears he may shed as he bleeds dry all his blood.

Nor the name that he utters in despair.

Nor the breath that he takes as his very last.

Only meant to protect, and be used as his master will.

To protect the beautiful princess to his very last breath.

Yes, Jin had always had an affinity for romanticism.

Even as he choked on his own final gasps of oxygen.

Even as he gazed on something that he feared more than the death that awaited him.

Saya, and the tears that fell from her glassy eyes as she screamed his name in horror.

He couldn't help but smile.

Even he could not prevent those tears from falling.

Especially when it was him that caused them to fall in the first place.

….

….

….

The masked man rushed towards the three awaiting 'criminals'. Behind him, the rest of the squad dispersed in tactical formation, aligned to take on the Akatsuki men while their leader confronted their once-Sotaicho. Of course, they had been trained to take on men like these two. The training was extensive, and battered into their very beings.

After all, that was what they lived for. They had no other lives outside of taking out these criminals all over the southern countryside.

It was what they lived, breathed, and worked for. And all they ever would.

So when it's said that they took formation and attacked both Kisame and Itachi, it's safe to say they had a minimal chance of actually living through the experience.

Actually, if they planned it out right, they could probably take them and come out victorious.

At least, that was how it used to be.

Saya had little doubt that her old squads where fit and fight-worthy, but that didn't stop her from doubting their individual strength. Their ability to attack in formation was what made them what they were, and she was sure that they were stilly minimally fierce. However, she also noted that there weren't many of them present, at least, not enough to potentially cause much damage.

And if she guessed right, she would assume they're fighting was not what it used to be.

She smirked.

Especially since it was _him_ who grouped the squads and lead them as it was.

But that's besides the point.

As previously stated, Saya had little doubt that the number of soldiers present could possibly give Akatsuki a run for their money, but they definitely couldn't defeat them. Not with the few present, and not against Hoshigake with his massive chakra support.

And they probably knew that.

That decided, it was only natural that they go for distracting both men while Jushiro assaulted her. It was probably more personal for him, the fight, and he more than likely wanted the pleasure of pounding her down.

Assuming she was out of shape and out of practice.

And he would have been right.

Actually, he was pretty much accurate.

But even out of practice, and out of shape as she was, Saya could handle Jushiro. If anything, this would be an exercise for her, something to get her back in her game.

That was, hoping Jushiro hadn't gotten _too_ good.

The guarded man quickly slashed at Saya, who dipped and ducked under his attempts to lop off her head and jab at her torso. Dancing back, she watched the young mans eyes as they fiercely glowed with a heated flame of hatred. A dry smile was the only emotion found on her face as she turned away from another swipe, the wind catching her hair and jostling it about.

Meanwhile, Kisame stood not far off, faced by most of the soldiers, all male. Knowing full well what Kisame was capable of, they decided on a sly approach to take down, or at least take the attention of, the blue ninja. The two women were the only ones to face the Uchiha. Both had long hair, and if one were to look past the masks they wore, one would find that they were in fact identical sisters. They stood side by side, both held kunai's in each hand, and held the same stance. They were well-endowed in the art of handling genjutsu users, and with the aid of the charm beheld within their armor, they were well-equipped against this particular opponent as well.

Both Itachi and Kisame glanced at one another, a silent conversation of the eyes unreadable by anyone other than themselves.

"Hey, let's keep those beautiful eyes of yours trained on us, hun." One of the women said in a haughty voice. Both had wine-colored hair, a muddled purple/pink, and fair skin. Itachi switched his gaze to the women as they grinned back at him.

"Hey, Yuri, I think he's sorta cute." The one on the left said, bending forward a bit.

"Cute, maybe. But remember, Maru, he's a criminal." The other reminded her sister, leaning back against the other.

"Such a shame." The other cooed.

"Such a shame." The other agreed.

Itachi narrowed his eyes at the women, his bloodline already activated. Both girls leaned forward, ready to pounce, and spoke in unison.

"Scary." They giggled, launching their assault.

Kisame looked at the men before him, all wielding long katana's and glaring at the taller ex-nin. He chuckled and went for Samehada's hilt.

"So, who wants to die first, eh?" His voice carried over the group, causing them to grip their own hilts. One spoke up.

"His affinity is water. Do not let him initiate any sort of jutsu. Do not use ninjutsu. Use long-ranged attacks. Avoid sword contact." The man drawled in a monotone voice. Kisame couldn't help but grunt. Well, these guys knew their stuff, he had to admit. He threw a side glance over at Saya, who was still only dodging oncoming blows. The smile formed on her lips seemed almost cynical, but not quite so. It was almost as if she were _laughing_ at her opponent. Kisame followed her movements, and realized she knew all of the other mans moves and gestures. It must have been from when she had previously been acquainted with the him.

Regardless, Kisame couldn't help but wonder if the woman would attract anymore trouble.

He couldn't decide if it would be annoying or….

He trained his gaze back to the hoard of soldiers before him, a long grin forming on his face.

…Or _fun._

Saya leapt backwards, away from her assailant as he halted in his relentless attacks. Gulping down his air, he attempted to regain his breath as he raised his blade, glaring hatefully at her. Saya flexed her hands before crossing her arms and watching her old pupil.

"I hate you, Sotaicho." He stated.

"I know." His eyes flared again with a new passion as he swung his sword.

"You betray not only your village, but also the one closest to you!" He snarled. "How could you do it, and even so much as _think_ to show your face around here!" Saya dipped her head to the side, and cradled her chin with her forefinger and thumb in thought.

"Well, it certainly wasn't my idea." She said innocently to herself. She then clapped her hands together and smiled. "Ah!" She exclaimed, then digging into her sleeve, she bit her lip while looking for something. Assuming she was going to attack, the man guarded himself stiffly, with an angry expression. However, he certainly hadn't expected her to pull out a row of candies that stood out colorfully, like a rainbow. "Ne, Shiro-kun, you still like candy, don't you? Perhaps this would make you feel better!" She held them out towards him, a silly grin on her face. Jushiro almost face-faulted right into the dirt, completely taken aback by her response. Then, regaining his posture, he pointed a stern finger at her.

"Bakka! Don't act familiar with me!" He screeched at her. Shrugging, she plucked a lollipop from the group of sweets.

"More for me, then." She popped it into her mouth and tucked away the rest of the candy she had gotten from the village they had visited. She had duped a group of kids, betting on a round of Top that she would land on red.

Obviously she had won.

"How can you act so simply, Ete-baka?" He swung his sword in emphasis, taking a position to attack. "I will make you atone for your sins." He said, finality sewn within his words. Saya rolled the candy in her mouth, then, taking the stick, she looked at Jushiro from behind her long bangs.

"Shiro-kun." She said, her tone making him swallow his rising curse. She looked up. "I wonder. Have you ever wondered why a tree has bark?" Jushiro regarded her dubiously.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He snapped.

"The bark is meant to protect the tree. But what does the tree have to protect?" She adjusted the pop in her mouth, her fingers sliding from side to side from the stick. "A living organism. A system of roots and leaves and branches. The bark prevents harm from befalling the tree's innards. But the bark is not pretty. The bark, in fact, can sometimes look like a parasite upon the tree, and is ripped from its base. The bark is not nearly as pretty as the fruit the trees bears, nor is it as pretty as the flower that sucks the life from the tree. A carefully hidden parasite itself." She looked up to him. "Shiro-kun. Have you ever wondered if maybe the bark is not as petty as it seems?" The man narrowed his eyes in reply.

"All the years in exile must have screwed with your brain, or have you drunk yourself to idiocy?" A slight slap in the face, Saya grimaced and rubbed the back of her head.

He had hit that right on the head, hadn't he?

Saya couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at how accurate his guess had been. Just then, without so much as a warning, Jushiro appeared in front of her, his blade singing just above her face as she swung to the side and pushed his elbow in, jabbing with open palms along the length of his arm. The clatter of his sword sounded against the suddenly softened air, which had been filled with distant battle sounds from the other two groups. Saya looked to the two Akatsuki men to see that Kisame was nearly finished with the group he had been dealt, and Itachi still faring against the two loose women. Jushiro shook his head, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"You stupid woman." He said lowly. Retreating to the remaining men near Kisame, he spun around to face the two girls. "Yuri. Maru. Keep the Uchiha busy." Swinging his arms in an arc, he dug his heel into the ground, Kisame just a few yards away from him. Between them lay motionless corpses of what had been his squad, only two remained breathing behind him. They both glanced at each other, then to their captain. "Both of you, can you handle the Mist Nin for a couple more minutes?" He asked in a gruff tone.

"Sir." They both nodded, hands ready for a jutsu. Itachi watched the captain also prepare a set of hand seals, his fingers spelling out combinations that seemed vaguely familiar. Just then, one of the girls appeared beside him, a beautiful smirk dancing across her lips.

"Hun, you may want to pay us a little more attention." Her sister appeared on the other side of him in a puff of smoke, a mirrored smirk.

"Otherwise we might just get tired of you." Both swiped at him with two pairs of kunai, only to reveal a substitution, one which consisted of a flock of crows. Itachi appeared behind both, their eyes wide with a surprised freight.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique." He stated, blowing a huge heated fire right against their backs.

….

…

.

The pair behind Jushiro appeared before Kisame, both initiating a jelly jutsu meant to sticky up the opponent. Grunting, Kisame slapped away the attack with Samehada.

And of course, because he did it, the solution caught the sword and Kisame's hand, sticking it to the ground and making him unable to move. Making a face, he yanked on the sword to loosen it up, but it only made him stick closer.

"Well, damn." He grumbled. With a heave, he ripped away from the gluey substance with a rush of massive chakra.

It ripped like paper.

The two men swallowed heavily, their captain still producing a series of hand seals behind them. In order to gain a bit of distance between them and Kisame, they jumped back on either side of Jushiro, now out of chakra.

Wiping away the remaining strands of the canceled jutsu, Kisame straightened up and swung Samehada around.

"That was lame, can't you do any better?" He taunted them.

Saya narrowed her eyes at the nostalgic jutsu that she knew Jushiro was performing.

She also had the sudden urge to shove his face in a toilet and drown him.

_He thinks he's cool, making an appearance with such a flashy technique._

Itachi emerged from a heated combustion of scorching flames. The two women had disappeared from sight after the haze, leaving him to close his eyes and observe the current battles.

However, a hand suddenly shot out of the ground, Itachi just missing it by lifting his leg. One of the women's faces emerged from the earth, grinning.

"That was pretty hot." She giggled. Itachi slammed his heel over the woman's form, leaving only a crumbling earth clone. Instead, noticing Jushiro's hand seals and almost instantly recognizing the technique, both women appeared in a poof of swirling smoke beside both men flanking him.

Violently spitting the lollipop stick out of her mouth and whipping her hand, Saya dug her heel into the ground, suddenly appearing on Kisame's broad shoulder.

"Hoshigake, can I borrow some of your chakra?" She asked calmly. Kisame looked up to her, annoyed.

"Why the hell would I do that?" She smirked.

"You've got plenty to spare. Besides," Without moving her head, she looked down to him, " I can't let Shiro-kun beat me at Show and Tell."

Kisame hesitated before slamming Samehada into the ground. For a moment, he remembered their conversation when they had been heading out of the fishing village.

.

…

…..

"_Oi, Hoshigake. Just how old are you?" _

_Kisame looked over to Saya, who looked back at him minus the malicious intent he thought he'd see in her eye. Instead, there was merely inquisitiveness, and something else he couldn't name._

"_Thirty." He replied simply. _

"_Thirty?" She looked to Itachi. "You know you're hanging out with a fossil here, right?" She asked him. Something tugged at the Uchiha's lips, but it went by unnoticeable beneath the shield of his hair. _

"_A fossil?" Kisame narrowed his eyes. _

"_Yeah." She smirked. "But you're a lot younger then I thought you were. And here, I thought you were in your fifties!" Kisame couldn't hold back a twitch as he made a face. Just who did she think she was? _

_Fifty?_

_Bah!_

_He internally cringed at just how much he really did sound like an old person at the moment. But then, a question passed through his mind, so he turned his attention back to Saya._

"_So, just how old are you?" He asked, suddenly curious. Saya froze slightly, recovering and picking at her ear._

"_Ne, Hoshigake, you should know better than to ask a woman her age." She replied curtly. She looked back to him. "But just for the record, I'm twenty-seven." Kisame stopped walking, a slight wind picked up, ruffling his cloak._

"_There's no way…" He began, but then once giving her a once-over, shrugged and continued. "Naw, you look old enough. In fact, I thought you were in your forties." Of course, he was trying to goad her on; In fact, he had thought she was just a little older than Itachi. Instantly, Saya bristled._

"_That's not a very good comeback, Hoshigake. I basically just said the same thing."_

"_Can all you do is bicker?" _

"_Only when in bad company."_

_Saya pursed her lips, her previous conversation with a certain squirrel summon sprung up in her mind, along with her afore mentioned attempt to make peace with tuna-breath. Her mothers voice rang in her head._

'_Saya, to make amends, you must first accept humility.'_

"_You know, my chakra system is pretty screwed up." She sighed. The road they were on was actually meager, and was more of a hiking path than anything. They had strayed from the main traveling system, in order to cut across the distance to Omashu. So of course, there was plenty of plants, as usual, and above average coverage from the sun. Regardless, a slight ray of sunshine fell into Saya's eyes, making her squint downwards to avoid the glare. She walked to the left of both men, looking to the side to avoid their gaze._

"_Should you really be telling us this?" Kisame mentioned, wondering why she suddenly changed the subject. "We're not exactly allies, we could take advantage of that information." She shrugged._

"_But we're not enemies, either. Besides, I should probably warn you now, before something dangerous happens and this lack of information proves regrettable." _

"_Can you use chakra?" Itachi asked. He regarded her with dulled eyes, void of Sharringan._

"_Yeah." She replied. "But not very efficiently. I can only perform simple jutsu's that require little concentration."_

"_What happened?" Saya looked up to Kisame despite the glint of light._

"_What happened to what?" She drawled. He scowled._

"_What did you do to screw up your chakra system?" She looked back ahead of her, hunching her shoulders as if the memory itself weighed down on her._

"_I tripped." _

_Even Itachi looked over to her._

"_What was that?" Kisame raised a brow._

"_I tripped." She repeated, then noticing their looks, she sighed. "It's a long story, one I really don't care to retell, especially to the ones I'm trying to look cool in front of." _

_Both men wondered how they got stuck with someone so outrageous, before a silence settled on them again._

…

…..

….

Kisame licked a dab of blood from the side of his mouth, the remaining soldiers stood in sync before him, Itachi watching not far off to the side. Saya's shifted weight on his shoulder reminded him of her request. Sliding his eyes up to her, he realized he'd yet to really ever see the woman perform any actual ninjutsu. Noting this, he also became curious as to what it was she wanted to use his chakra for, and that curiosity nipped the edges of his conscience.

"Fine." He grumbled. "But I'm not your chakra bank, ya got that, onna?" She flashed a wide grin at him, gripping the crook of his neck for support with a nod.

As her fingers brushed along his neck, it felt as if tiny shock waves tickled Kisame through his cloak and clothes. They singed his skin and danced along his shoulder, his arm, and flickered down to his legs and feet. His grip on Samehada loosened, surprised, as the pinching sensation dimmed and faded.

Where the hell had _that_ come from? He kept his gaze on her hand as she lowered her head to his.

"Yeah," She whispered huskily, "I got it."

Her palm fanned out, and suddenly, Kisame felt as if something were sucking his being from where her hand rested. It was like a vacuum, stealing his energy from along his arm.

She hopped down from his shoulder, her hand glowing a cerulean blue, the remnants of his chakra.

Itachi regarded her with calculating eyes.

Jushiro looked up from his hand seals, closing in on the finishing signal, and noticed Saya's sudden chakra spike as she smiled at him with a crooked smirk. His eyes narrowed as he finished, his hands glued together.

"You know what technique I'm using!" Jushiro exclaimed, his teeth bared. "Just what do you think you can do to cancel out a sound technique?" Itachi's eyes narrowed: So that's why it had been familiar. Orichimaru's subordinates used sound techniques often, the hand seals usually similar to one another.

Saya watched him, her cocky smile unwavering. Jushiro trembled slightly under the effort of controlling the signal. He grinned manically.

"Are you ready, Sotaicho?" He released the seal. "Ten Vibration: Sonic Boom Technique!" He threw out his hands, and with a horrendous clap, came a sudden violent whirlwind heading straight for the three Akatsuki. It tore up the ground and sliced the rubble to bits, cutting up tree's and leaving only unidentifiable wreckage behind.

At that same moment, Saya whipped her thumb to her mouth, nipped the end of it, and performed a number of hand seals, landing on one with her right hand.

"Demon sword technique: Earth Style!" Then, as she slammed her right foot down into the dirt, crumbling rock dispersed beside her and up popped a thick bladed sword. She easily snatched it up, and with a hurl, she twirled it into a fanning motion.

So just as the sonic wave began, it instantly disappeared before the vacuum of air created by the quick motions of the blade. Saya swung the blade to her side and watched the angry Jushiro.

Itachi inspected the sword she had summoned: It seemed to be made of thick gravel, cracking pieces of boulder pieced together at the hilt. Then, scouring along the edge of the blade seemed to be a stone of some sort, onyx maybe?

At the center of the pommel was an eye, wide open, and staring out at the world with a slit pupil of black against a red iris.

Kisame looked between Samehada and the earth sword she had summoned, wondering what jutsu she had used.

"You cheated!" Jushiro growled, a pointed finger. "If you didn't have _him_ for chakra, there's no way you would have countered that." Saya swung the sword to rest on her shoulder.

"True." She nodded solemnly. "But earth beats sound, and my sword absorbed your attack." Her eyes flashed. "Game over." Jushiro snarled back at her, but upon hearing a grunt from one of the men stationed behind him, he turned away, his mask worn and teetering on the edge of his nose. Both girls behind him sniggered at their captains obvious fail, a whispered joke ran between the pair as one of the men hushed them back to silence.

"Fall back." He ordered. Then, looking one more time at Saya, and then to Kisame, and finally Itachi, he retrieved three smoke bombs. "We _will _be seeing each other again." He said finally, then throwing down the orbs, he disappeared behind plumes of purple smoke.

Saya coughed loudly as the thick air spread towards them, but with a swift hand seal, Itachi blew away the remnants of the smoke bomb, revealing only an empty spot where the correction unit had once been. Even corpses had disappeared, the only evidence of their existence being the blood soaked earth and the foot imprints, along with the wrecked surrounding forest. With a grunt, Saya looked at the blade in her hand blankly as Itachi and Kisame both zeroed in on her.

"Onna," Kisame began.

"Who was that?" Itachi finished, standing beside his partner and readjusting his cloaks grips. Saya sighed and stabbed the dirt with her summon, and upon impact, it turned to rubble. She looked up, fingering a stray hair on her forehead.

"He was an old friend."

"He didn't seem very _friendly_." Saya looked to Kisame, a playful smirk tugging on the corners of her lips.

"Yeah, that tends to happen when a bad rumor spreads." She waved a hand impatiently and turned back to the beaten path. "Shall we go on?"

"Oh no, don't think you're walking away from this conversation." Kisame hissed. "You are going to explain exactly why we just got ambushed by a bunch of bratty kids with toothpicks and smoke bombs."

"It's to be expected." Saya said lightly. "After all, we're near the correction units base, Omashu is but a few mere miles away from it."

"That's why you were reluctant to go." It wasn't a question, but a statement Itachi made as he lowered his eyes to his flexing hand.

"Just a bit." She grinned back at them

"Leader won't be pleased that you're a wanted criminal." He added, glaring up at her.

She shrugged.

"You shouldn't be talking, Uchiha Itachi. Both you, your partner, and the rest of your organization are wanted felons. Way more wanted than me." A frog croaked somewhere far off, as the wild life began to voice itself now that the battle was over. The tension in the air had been lifted, and the sun dipped lower behind the horizon, casting long shadows among the tree's and bushes.

"It looks like we'll be walking in the dark." Kisame sighed. He threw Saya a hateful stare. She looked back at him innocently as they began to walk again.

"You will answer our questions when we arrive at the village." Itachi regarded Saya as she looked back at him. "We will have plenty of time before sunrise, and that is when we will continue with the mission." His eyes flashed back to red as he referred to the correction units sudden welcoming party. "I do not like surprises." Saya's smirk never faded. She realized just how boyish the Uchiha really was, more so, just how _young_ he was. He could hide behind the mask of a killer for as long as he wanted, but behind all that ceramic and paint was just another 17-year old boy.

And no matter how scary he pretended to be, it was a laugh to see him try so hard. She could see it in the usage of his spinning eyes. The over usage of them revealed his readiness to put up a barrier between him and everyone else, something to frighten his opponents and comrades in order to hide what he really was.

But Saya wondered idly, just what was it that he tried so hard to hide?

…..

…..

…..

_Sometimes, things don't end with a happily-ever after. _

_I'm sure you know this already. _

_It's not only obvious to the naked eye, but it seems present-day ideals hover over the notion of tragedy as not only the norm, but also a preferred topic. _

_Trends are always so confounding._

_Regardless of the pop culture, though, we all wish for that happy finale. _

_That the girl gets the boy._

_The evil witch is defeated._

_The curse broken._

_The treasure found._

_But as I said before, the fat lady doesn't always sing._

_There are many stories never told, many of people never mentioned in the fairytale. _

_Ones that never even had the smallest casting call._

_These people are the real people. _

_They are the ones with the endings no one wants to hear._

_But of course they're never heard of because, after all, who wants to hear a sad story?_

_Exactly._

_The endings are miserable, and the wretches that survive whatever ordeal it may be are usually only shadows of their former selves._

…

_We can't all be heroes._

_We can't all have the power to change people, or to protect the ones we love most._

_And because of that, we are forgotten._

_Not worth mentioning._

_Not even a side character in the greater scheme._

_Saya was one of these shadows. _

_She was not a hero._

_She was not an extra, never mind a main character._

_In fact, she never was mentioned beside any event concerning the true hero._

_And we all know who that hero is, so don't even try to pretend to question who I'm referring to._

_She was just a someone who, in fact, was a no one._

_But you see, that's not completely true._

_Although Saya was never mentioned, and never will be, she was indubitably there._

_Saya did exist, and she was a main character, albeit in her own story, and with a different but never the less, related plot._

_She did impact the world of the true hero, remaining unmentioned._

_What's more…._

_She was not a villain in her story, even though she wasn't a hero._

_Saya could not protect the ones she loved, but that isn't to say she didn't try._

_Saya sought the right path, and even though she stumbled onto a road of misery and violence, she did in fact travel the right one._

_How can this be determined, whether or not the path was right?_

_Simply._

_Saya never regretted a damn thing she did after meeting both Hoshigake Kisame and Uchiha Itachi._

_Joining Akatsuki was a great investment in her opinion._

_After all, she got her third chance at justice because of them._

_She even made a ripple in the sea of the true heroes story through that damn group of thugs._

_Even without all those points, though, it was still a great choice. In fact, if she didn't know any better, she'd say it was the best choice of her life, complying with Akatsuki._

_Why?_

_Well, I'd think it'd be obvious._

_She fell in love…._

_Or something like that._

…

…_._

…_.._

They settled down in a cozy room of an inn, in the middle of the slums of Omashu.

Omashu itself was a large city. It hadn't always been so big, in fact, it used to be dirt poor. This was due to the constant rogue robberies made along Omashu's major fiscal trophy: Trading. The roads surrounding it were severely unsafe to travel, and any caravan that happened to so much as think of leaving or entering the city was molested.

However, a few decades ago a small company of ninja from Mist decided to establish a bodyguard business in the dirty city, and soon the rogues were no longer a worry among Omashu's twitchy merchants.

Omashu wasn't bordered by any waterfront, which one would think would hinder it; however, it did lie right smack dab in the middle of not only the greenest part of the east containing an abundance of exotic fruits and flowers, animals and medicines, but also a hoard of smaller, less booming villages, including the fishing village from two chapters ago.

Omashu was a busy city now.

It had plenty of sights to see.

Plenty of beautiful parks and monuments.

So of course it had what most cities always did: Slums.

A perfect haven for criminals to hide among the filth of Omashu.

A place where Kisame and Itachi would go by apathetically unnoticed.

The inn was nestled between a Tea house and a brothel, made completely of rotting wood and stained rice paper doors. It had a traditional style, and was actually very small. But in all that it looked, the place was actually quite clean. The inn keeper, an elderly man, was also unexpectedly kind.

He also thought he had a great sense of humor.

Saya entered behind both Kisame and Itachi, almost to the point of sleepwalking as Itachi spoke with the owner about buying a room.

_Damn cheapskates… _Saya thought, irritated. They couldn't even properly buy two rooms, one for her and one for them. It wasn't like she was going to run from them, unlike before. In fact, she would be Hella screwed if she ditched them:

No money, no weapons, not even a gourd of sake to soothe her soul.

There were too many advantages to staying _with_ Akatsuki that even the thought of running had long since hit the proverbial dusty trail.

Regardless, Itachi himself had insisted they share a single room. Something about being ambushed and an easy get away.

Pfft. The Perv just wanted to watch her while she slept. She knew he didn't sleep at night.

He only _pretended_ to sleep.

And now she had to deal with Hoshigake's Could-Start-An-Avalanche-With snores in a small, enclosed area.

Peachy.

At this particular thought, Saya made a disgusted face and blew a strand of hair from her face.

Meanwhile, however, through all her thinking, Saya had missed the start of Itachi's and the mans conversation.

"One room, eh?" The man had to at least be touching his late seventies, 'cause there was no way anyone younger could have as many wrinkles at this guy had. Plus, his wispy white hair was barely intact on his basically bald head. His eyes were sunken into his head, hiding from the horridness of the world he had seen for so many years, and his frail form sat hunched over a small cane.

The man chuckled.

"Yes, one room." Itachi restated apathetically. The man chuckled again behind a hand that wasn't gripping his warped cane.

"Okay, so one room for two men and a lovely lady." He sang to himself in a cracked voice as he shuffled through some papers and coins on his desk. Plucking a slip of paper from the mess, he held it out for Itachi to grab. He eyed Saya.

"How much." Itachi's voice called out. The man looked back to Itachi with a knowing grin.

"Depends, will any of my furniture be damaged tonight?" He wondered idly. Kisame snarled at him in disgust.

"Don't test me, old man." He leaned forward a bit, tipping his straw hat back to glare. The old man only hiccupped a cackle and wagged his thick brows.

"Excited, are we?" He asked joyfully, his gravelly voice lightening in the unseen joke. Kisame glared with a renewed intensity.

"How much?" Itachi repeated.

Saya suddenly popped into the conversation, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

"Yeah, Ossan, how much? I'm getting tired." Saya said this with a deadpan voice. So much so, that the man gave her a strange look. Then, looking between both Itachi and Kisame, he frowned.

"Pretty, this one is." He wrote a receipt and handed it to Itachi. "But not very graceful." He nodded to himself as Itachi handed him back the amount written.

Suddenly, the man yelled.

"Hisoka! Get out here and show these guests to their room!" His yell slightly shook the fragile room, a bit of dust even dislodging itself from the ceiling above. Kisame stayed silent, about as silent as Itachi, as Saya stepped forward a bit to come between them. A threshold to their right, just beside the desk the old man rested behind, was suddenly filled with a small and petite form, akin to a young boys with a bit of feminine roundness.

A young woman, probably about Itachi's age, stood impatiently with hands on her hips, a massive scowl on her face as she growled at the old man.

"Stupid old man, what did I tell you about screaming across the house?" She harped, a lip curled to expose sharp teeth. She had a girlish look, her mousy brown hair seemed mid length, and was sloppily thrown into a small tie. Her skin, which had probably once been quite fair, was marred with various nicks and a warm mocha tan that bloomed along her limbs. "Plus, I'm getting ready to leave for work!"

She wore a simple blue kimono, dirty along the edges, and she held a thick wad of cash in her left hand.

"Hisoka," He began again, "My deepest regards, but could you please show these guests to their room?" She let out an exasperated sigh, tucking the cash into a sleeve and giving the group and once-over. She had an irritated frown on her face as she tapped her foot impatiently, a raised brow.

"What room, Boss?" She asked in a scratchy voice, straightening up and fixing her attire.

"The big one. Three people in one room would otherwise be a tight fit." Kisame gave him a snide glare again, his nose scrunched. However, the girl known as Hisoka smiled at the mans remark, but quickly wiped it away.

"Fine then." She turned and motioned for them to follow. "Follow me."

…

…..

So there they were.

The room was rather large.

Scarcely decorated, but plenty of room.

But there was still nowhere near enough room to avoid both Itachi's and Kisame's stares as they awaited Saya's explanation.

Why she was a 'wanted' woman.

"Ne, what can I say, I'm just too amazing to be legal." She sighed with stretched arms, leaning into a fluffed pillow on the ground. She propped herself on an elbow with pursed lips.

Samehada rested on a wall, recently cleaned and free of the sticky gunk the 'brats' latched onto Kisame with; Both men relieved themselves of their cloaks, both which hung from a single chair near the door.

Itachi sat near an open balcony, the wind refreshing the tense air in the room, while Kisame rested with his knees up against a wall opposite from Saya.

"Stop beating around the bush and just tell us why we're being bothered by brats with masks." Kisame crossed his arms, awaiting Saya to comply.

"It would prepare us for future attacks." Itachi stated, turning his head back to the room.

"Future attacks my butt." She snapped. "As soon you guys finish this mission and we're out of the southern area, we won't have anymore encounters with the correction unit." She flicked a beetle that was scuttling along the ground. It had flown in from the open door, and had landed in front of Saya. It squeaked as it flew across the room and back towards the door where Itachi was, quickly flying back off into the night.

"They have no legitimate reason to hunt me outside their area. I'm banished, not wanted." She added for good measure.

"I don't care." Itachi was on the verge of activating his eyes as he stared down Saya, who stared back unflinchingly.

"Then don't ask." She replied.

"That's not what I meant." He countered. "I don't care for your excuses. We will not be taken advantage of and left blind to information that may hinder our organization."

"Hinder?" She asked. "Nothing from my past should hinder you. But if you want to know so god damned bad, then I'll tell you." She fell onto her back with a huff and stared at the ceiling.

"It's not like it's a big deal." She continued softly. Kisame placed his forearm along his leg as he got ready to fall asleep. There was no way he was listening to the woman's sorry sob story.

"But after I'm done telling you what I say, no more questions, got it gakI?" She addressed Itachi, who slightly bristled at the nickname.

"Hn."

"It's simple, actually." She went on with a nostalgic smile. "In a condensed version of a melodramatic series of events, I was framed for a crime I didn't commit, but because I was the corps captain commander, they sorta went easy on me. Instead of killin me, they kicked me out of my home." Clapping her hands, she rolled onto her side facing the wall. "End of story."

"Who's 'they'?" Kisame looked over to Itachi, who had voiced the question. Kisame had expected a long harangue of a tale, as most women tended to do. Surprisingly though, Saya hadn't dragged out and dramatized her past, which took him by surprise.

He hadn't even been able to properly get comfortable to fall asleep.

" 'They' being the elders of my village." She explained. "Stupid geezers. They see but never look. It's always the same with politics." Itachi regarded Saya, a look in his eye Kisame couldn't quite read.

Was it pity?

Anger?

Sympathy?

Or perhaps…

Understanding…?

He couldn't tell.

"Anyway." Saya sighed. "That's all yer getting out of me. I'm goin to bed." She waved a lazy hand. " 'Nite, Akatsuki bad guys." Her hand dropped like lead and she began to snore loudly.

"What the hell, onna. Shut up before I shove my foot in your mouth." Kisame scolded her.

"_Allergic to sea food, but the scandalous trip sounds nice."_ She mumbled in her sleep between a snore.

"There's no way she fell asleep that fast." He grumbled.

"She did." Itachi slid the door shut, and walked over to where the futons were placed.

"Women are weird." Kisame sighed. He suddenly caught the futon roll Itachi had thrown to him, smirking slightly. "But what's weirder is that technique she used earlier. I've never heard of summoning 'demon swords'."

"_Walking down a aisle of memories is the closest thing to worship." _Kisame looked back to Saya.

"I agree." Itachi's voice was velvet against the noisy silence. Kisame gave him a questioning look.

"Agree with what?" Itachi rolled out the futon and stationed himself back where he'd been sitting. Laying down, he faced the opposite direction.

"She's weird."

Kisame laughed, it's guttural tone drowning out Saya's next sleepy mumble.

"_Death is so much warmer than life. Kill or be killed, either way you're dead."_

…_.._

…

"Ah! What a night!" Saya popped her shoulders as she raised her arms above her head in a massive stretch. "And those jerks, leaving me without money for breakfast." She pouted, leaning back on her arms along the balcony of their room. "Now I have to wait until they finish that mission."

With a long sigh, Saya watched the roof opposite of the inn, the shingle's and tiles along the roof gleamed a dirty blue, and it was just a few feet taller than the balcony. However, the space between the two buildings was wide enough to allow Saya a good view of the patio below, on ground level. It was the brothel, and it seemed as if, even though it was daylight out, business was booming.

She leaned harder back on her arms, craning her neck up to watch the little strip of sky she could see. The sun lightly shined down, and a small but warm breeze shifted the dirt down on the road, along with women's dresses.

A soft and content smile lifted the edges of Saya's mouth.

She could honestly say that she was happy, at the moment.

There's this little spot inside your body, deep in the back between your lungs and your stomach. It's a small portion of your being, where all the magnified emotions come forth; in this exact spot, a warm and whole feeling emitted from her soul. She didn't know exactly why she was so at peace.

Perhaps it was simply the beautiful day.

Maybe it was the idea of her justice, so close at hand.

Or maybe, it was what the old man had told her when she had went looking for Itachi and Kisame.

She had wandered to the front room, where he had been sipping a small cup of tea. He had offered her a cup of her own, but she was more preoccupied with where her escorts had gone. When she had voiced such queries, the old man had given her a little grin, and set down his tea. He had told her that the two men had told him, that she would probably be looking for them, and that if she asked, to tell her that they would be back for her within the afternoon.

He also said that the blue one, who Saya corrected him on as 'Tuna-Face', told him to tell her that she'd better not do anything stupid. Or else.

Saya had laughed a bit, and waved away the warning, as well did the man.

After a moment, the old man added that he'd asked Kisame if she was his girlfriend.

His reaction, or so the man had said, is what made her grin.

He'd blushed and gave the man a vicious glare before grunting and wiping away any remnants of red on his face, and whisked out the door, followed by 'the quiet one'.

Saya almost couldn't stop a morbid chuckle.

I mean, Hoshigake, _blushing_?

Get real.

The man had to be pulling her leg.

But still, the idea made her morning, and even though she had no food, no money, and most regrettably, no sake, she was having a ball just watching the sky.

Or what she could see of it.

Just as she replayed her morning conversation over in her mind again, she heard an exclamation from below, accompanied by a slapping sound and a shriek of frustration.

_Probably another tussle with a customer__, _Saya thought idly. However, the sound effects got more animated as time passed, and soon she could hear a mans voice too.

"What the hell is your problem?" The man said.

"My problem? You're the fucking problem you ass hole! You gypped me outta my money, and you think you can just _fuck_ me right here?" A catty voice replied.

"I can do whatever the fuck I want with you, you fucking whore!"

_Jeeze, could they get anymore animated? _Saya ticked her head to the side and made a face at the invading argument. Leaning forward, she played with her fingers as it got more and more heated.

"Don't ever come back here, you jerk!" Saya wondered why the voice of the woman sounded so familiar. Lazily, she scooted herself forward and peeked between the wooden rails. She was lying on her stomach, her hands gripping the railings as she spied from above.

Ah!

It was the girl from before, who had shown them their room.

What was her name again?

Hisana…?

No, was it Hikaru?

No.

Hikari?

It was…

Oh!

Hisoka!

With a sluggish snap, she let one arm dangle down and pressed a cheek into the wood floor.

Hisoka spat with the man, shaking fist at him. He was plainly dressed, maybe a construction worker or something. Well, maybe not. He wore some sort of vest.

A ninja?

She paused.

Naw.

Too scrawny.

Suddenly, he grabbed the girl's wrist, an ugly-angry look on his face. He raised his other hand, his fist balled into a punch. The girls eyes widened as she froze at sight.

"Oi." Both looked up their eyes wandering for a moment before both spotted Saya watching them from her lazy position, both her arms now dangling limply. Her chin now touched the floor, her eyes cast downwards, half open.

"What the hell do you want?" The man demanded, his fist still stiffly quivering.

"Your voice is annoying." Saya bypassed his question. "Go away." He bared his teeth at her, momentarily letting go of Hisoka's wrist.

"Mind your own damn business, woman." Saya blew a hair out of her eyes.

"You made it my business when you started yelling and screaming in front of my room." She drawled. Training her gaze on the girl, she sighed. "Just leave her alone. It's not very gentlemanly to treat girls harshly."

"Girl my ass." He responded. "This woman's a whore, no more than trash." Saya kept her gaze on the girl, waiting for her reaction. She wonder if she would cry, or maybe flinch at his words.

Instead, she snarled back at him, and with a much firmer looking fist than his, she punched him right in the head, then jabbed her knee up into his crotch. With a suppressed shriek, the man doubled over in utter pain, and fell to the floor. The girl, Hisoka, looked up to Saya with a feral grin.

Saya looked back to her, a grin of her own mirrored back.

**So….**

**I hope it was enjoyable.**

**It's a little under 9,000 words, but that's all yer getting.**

**Anyway, I'm gonna make the next chapter simple and quick.**

**Then after, it'll be the two girls grand entrance.**

**You know, the two weird ones?**

**Anyway, draw me a pretty picture of Saya and it'll make my day.**

**Later.**

**~Serb**


	16. Ch 16: A Wonderful Error

**I was thinking the other day (I know, what a shocker), and it struck me that if I were to pick an obnoxiously American song for Saya's theme, it would completely have to be Shots by LMFAO and Lil John.**

**Just sayin.**

**Ah, and to that Banjo playing Ducky girl who's too lazy to sign in (Man, I made that obvious):**

**Don't worry.**

**I planned to use Hisoka quite a bit.**

**You'll see more of her.**

**Oh, and I'm postponing the two girls dramatic entrance.**

**I wanna screw around with this setting more first.**

**Oh, and while I'm typing so much, I figured I'd throw in some decent song titles. **

**I love it when people do that. **

**I'll give you three:**

_1.) Hinageshi No Oka by Yukawa Shione (There's an anime it's in called Speed Grapher. It's pretty good)_

_2.) Nigeru Mono by Hirasawa Susumu (From Paprika)_

_3.) Synchronicity by Yui Makino (I thought it was good, anyway)_

**Happy Trails.**

_I want those wings._

_Those wings, they're something…._

_Well, they're something else, aren't they?_

_The wings…._

_I mean the freedom to be anything, to do anything…_

_It's just that…_

_I only have these chains._

_And they are so tight around my ankles, so constricting and so heavy._

_I wonder whether or not I'll be able to be there…_

_Be strong enough to protect you…_

_I mean, after all; it's sort of hard to protect someone who's stronger than you, wouldn't you say?_

_._

_._

…_.._

_Saya looked over, a rough gust of wind spitting salty sea water at her face. The sand beneath her crunched lightly as she shifted, her toes wriggling deep into the cooler soil. _

_The gust flattened, leaving only a warm kiss of air to caress her cheeks as a crooked smirk lifted her cheeks._

_To her left, Jin stood stiffly, his arms crossed tightly and a firm frown on his own face._

_His combat pants and leather breastplate, their villages insignia scribbled along an undershirt. _

_His own hair flared down, it's thick, messy lengths at odd angles from the playful wind. _

_His weapon of choice, a long sword, was attacked to his hip, and his leather gloved hands were balled to fists in the creases of his elbows._

_Saya held back a chuckle._

_He looked down at her with that frown of his…_

_And quickly looked back up._

"_You know, Jin, just because you're supposed to be a bodyguard at the moment, doesn't mean you have to act like you have a stick up your butt." She leaned back on her arms, the smirk ever present. She heard a grumble and a mutter._

"_If I'm goanna do my job, then I'm sure as hell goanna do it right." He replied, shifting his own feet in the wet sand, just fresh of a flick of rippled sea waves. _

_Saya's silk pants easily soaked up the dampness and were soon soaked, as were the cuffs on Jin's._

"_Yeah, well don't be such a prude about it. I'm a better fighter than you, anyway. Besides, since when have you taken this so seriously?" Her voice pitched towards the end, inquisitiveness evident among her vocal chords._

_He seemed perturbed by her question, his frown deepening at her accusation._

_He turned his head towards her._

"_For one, I'm not a prude. Two, you're better than me when it comes to swordplay, not hand-to-hand combat. And third, I've always taken my life's work seriously." An uneven smile lifted as he gave her a scornful smirk. "Just because you're a lackadaisical slob doesn't mean we all have to follow in your footsteps, even if you are our leader." _

_Saya barked out a loud, hearty laugh. _

"_Bakka, you lookin for a fight?" _

"_Nope." He grinned fully at her. "You'd give up halfway through, anyway." She shook with laughter as she plopped on her back, her hands rested behind her skull._

"_Jin, you're fired."_

_His grin faltered._

"_Why?"_

"_You know me too well. It could prove devastating should you betray me." She joked with him._

_As if he were the wind itself, he suddenly appeared beside her, squatting just next her head._

"_Never would I betray you, Sayuri-dono." His voice was so severe, Saya had to look up at him. His gaze was adoring as he watched her, and he leaned his chin on one hand._

"_You are everything."_

_Saya regarded his face for a moment, before smirking and laying back down._

"_Bah! And it seems you're delusional, too. Guess it's time to break out the job application forms." _

_Her cheek was suddenly pinched, Jin's fore finger and thumb yanking on the skin as she flailed her arms with tears in her eyes._

…_._

…

…

Unexpectedly, Hisoka's smirk fell into a frown as she glared back at Saya.

"Mind your own damn business, I can handle myself." She spat up at her, kicking the man for good measure. Saya's grin never faltered, instead, she continued to smile fondly at the woman and cupped her chin.

"Ne, Kusekke-chan, it didn't look like you were handling it." The woman grinded her teeth and flipped Saya a plainly manicured finger. The man grunted and twitched slightly as she spun on her heel. She was on her way back to the front of the brothel.

But as she turned, she was abruptly stopped by a fist gripping her ankle. Because of her momentum, she violently fell face forward into the gravel, with only two weakly raised arms to break her fall. With a small gasp, she flipped onto her back and squirmed out of the grip on her leg.

In front of her was her livid ex-customer, glaring daggers at her with an outreached hand.

"Ama, I'm gonna-." The man's threat was sharply cut off by Saya's foot, which had landed on the back of his skull and promptly smashed his face back into the ground.

"Baka ka." She hummed. "Be a good boy and take it like a man." She rubbed her foot deeper into his hair in emphasis. She looked up to the woman covered in a sheen of dirt from the floor, who was already picking herself up and dusting off.

She regarded Saya defiantly, her chin jutted out and a spark in her eyes.

"…I didn't ask for your help." She said stiffly. She crossed her arms beneath her chest, a hip jutted out in the utmost feminine gesture. Saya smirked as she reevaluated the woman before her.

She had a definite bark, and it seemed she had a little bit of a bite to accompany it; however, Saya imagined it got her into quite a bit of trouble.

"Doesn't mean you didn't need it." Saya replied.

The alley they stood in was more of a thin, short road that passed along a few other establishments in either direction. There were crates and unused items strewn along the sides, just by each building, which made it seem dirtier than it probably was. The brothel itself was actually quite long, but Saya didn't dwell on it.

A stray kitten, perhaps a few months old, and just a ways from the women, hissed viciously at its lounging mother atop a trash bin. The kitten was a dirty honeydew color, in contrast to the other, which was a deep brown. The cat disregarded the kittens weak attempts at spitting at her, and rather began to clean herself.

"Well, don't think I owe you anything for it, 'cause I'm not giving you a cent!"

The kitten in retaliation to it's mothers fair reaction, wobbled its rear in preparation to pounce.

"Don't worry, Kusekke-chan. Money is the least of my problems."

The mother continued to lick her paw.

"Then why did you help me?"

The kitten sprung into the air, enough to overtake the small bin's height and rush upon the cat.

"Why does the wind blow?"

Hisoka made a skeptical face in silent reply.

The cat, with a lazy side glance, bowed it's head as the kitten just passed above her, where the cat's head had once been. Instead, it crashed into a pile of garbage bags with a sour whine.

Saya leaned forward a bit.

"Because it can."

Hisoka stared at Saya at length, her mouth slightly ajar.

"You…You're a bit off your rocker, aren't you?"

"Hisoka!" Both women turned their gaze to a sliding door past Hisoka, where another young woman emerged.

The woman was much classier than Hisoka, not that Hisoka was a bumpkin or anything; Simply put, this new woman screamed of sensuality. Her breasts oozed over her loose kimono, a kimono that hung from her shoulders and looked as if it were ready to pool completely around her feet. However, she also wore silk hakama beneath her short dress, and a small belt made of woven yarn tied around her waist. Her hair was let loose, hanging just above her shoulders, and was a dark brown that accented her rust-colored eyes.

Make-up heavily coated her face-Actually, Saya realized that this woman looked more like a geisha rather than a prostitute.

"Hisoka," She began again as she approached the two. She eyed Saya for a moment before training her gaze back to the other. "The mistress has had us looking for you all over the place, what _have_ you been doing?"

Hisoka began to open her mouth, but the woman waved her hand.

"Never mind, I probably don't even want to know." She shook her head and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "Hajii-sama has reserved both you and Nasu-chan for the night, and he's paid a huge amount of money to use the Dragon Lodge."

Hisoka switched hips, and leaned forward with a miniscule scowl.

"What, hasn't he had enough for one week? She whined, crossing her arms.

"He's paying you enough for the work you do, so don't complain." The woman replied and gestured with her hand. Hisoka opened her mouth to argue, but then an expression settled in, as if she thought better of it.

"You're right."

"Excuse me." Both women looked back at Saya, who suddenly held a mischievous glint in her eyes. It made them glow an iridescent gold. "Did you just say Hajii, as in Matsuko Hajii?"

The woman with the kimono made a face as she looked to Hisoka.

"Who's this?"

"She's no one." She snapped. "Just a guest at the inn."

"Yes, a guest who would very much like you to confirm her suspicions." Saya continued.

"Well yeah, the clients name is Matsuko Hajii, but we just call him Hajii-sama. He's our biggest customer and Hisoka's regular."

"Susuki! You're not supposed to say anything!" Hiskoa hissed lowly. "You know he's a priority client!"

The woman, Susuki, looked unimpressed at Hisoka, and turned her attention back at Saya with a smile.

"So, what's it to you, Guest-san?"

Saya regarded the pair before her, her thoughts actually quite far away from the present. Her mind reverted to Hoshigake and the Uchiha, which she knew very well were out scouring the village for their target.

A target that just happened right into her lap.

Oh, the irony.

"Say, do you think I could have a word with your boss?" Saya asked.

"I don't see why not."

"Susuki!"

Susuki gave Hisoka a bored stare.

"What?" She drawled.

"You're going to get us fired, especially if-".

"Oi." Saya stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Hisoka's shoulder.

"You worry too much." Saya hopped off of the man's head, his grunt earning him a disinterested frown from Susuki as she took in his state.

"I'll take you to our mistress, but I warn you, she can be a bit temperamental when tried " Susuki said lightly, turning around in one graceful step.

Hisoka huffed, but otherwise uncrossed her arms and shadowed the taller woman, followed by Saya.

She was led through the same doors Susuki had come from, and into a busy hallway filled with bustling girls carrying pots and flowers, food and chairs, from one room to the next.

Hisoka was about to take a turn into one threshold to their left, but Susuki caught her by her collar with a knowing smile.

"Don't think you can run away, Hisoka. The mistress still wants a word with you." Hisoka scowled and mumbled under her breath.

"It sure is busy here." Saya commented with folded hands. "And I don't see any customers."

"Yeah, it's because of Hajii-sama. It's not just him, but his entire gang who's reserved basically the whole brothel. Once we got word of their reservation we had to begin preparing for the nights festivities." Susuki, with her small steps, weaved them through the crowded rooms, the chatter and arguing of numerous trilling women filled the air, along with the scrapes and scuffs of the chores they were sharing. One beckon in particular ran throughout the household; The voice sounded elderly, and it crackled at the end of each command that was barked.

As the hallway branched off into three different directions, Saya realized just how large the estate was; She hadn't actually noticed anything much about the buildings surrounding the inn before. Not just that, but this didn't seem like just any brothel. If Saya wasn't so reserved, she'd have to say it had class.

The women continued straight, the scratchy voice emitting from the right. As they passed the crossroads, Saya glanced down the interceding hallway to catch glimpse of an old crone, probably in her late seventies, directing a group of women on moving a large tea table from one room to the next.

"Stop whining like a bunch of mice and get a move on it!" She hoarsely ordered.

"But Gigi-san!" One girl sang, the hefty table loose in her grip.

However, they passed quickly and the glimpse was interrupted by the view of the next hallways wall, which Saya greeted with wide, surprised eyes.

Just about everything was made of a polished oak, or something akin to it, and the smaller lanterns that lit the hallways were decorated by a thin rice paper, painted with floating lilies and dancing butterflies. Because there were fewer windows and doors to the outside in the deeper passage, the amount of lanterns doubled, but all held the same design. The flame behind each flickered as if chased by a wind, and gave the setting a dark, mysterious feeling. There was a smell to the whole house, the smell of, perhaps, paprika, or a mixture of feral spices.

"Nani? How is this place so big?" Saya wondered aloud, her mouth ajar as she took in the expansive proportions. Hisoka grumbled, but returned with an answered quicker than Susuki.

"The building looks small from the outside to any passer-by because it's squished between two other buildings side by side. But what no one ever takes the time to figure out is how thick each one of the lots are in certain areas of the slums." She paused, looking back at Saya's excited face. "In fact, if this house was located elsewhere in the city, in a better neighborhood, it would cost a fortune."

"The mistress invested in it a long time ago." Susuki continued. "I don't know the specifics, but apparently it belonged to someone important to her before they passed away. She took up the household and turned it into a brothel-".

"Why'd she turn it into a brothel, of all things?" Saya interjected.

"I wondered that myself a while ago." Susuki sighed. "The mistress has her reasons, none of which are my business, but the brothel is more of a haven for young women who have already gotten into the business. Women who have been cast out, and have no place to go."

Saya nodded understandingly, tracing the lines along the wood with her eyes. The curves danced into swirls and waves, all designed into a mass of random circles.

The hallway they continued along was much quieter than those behind them, only one or two passing women happened across them before they stopped at a large set of doors protected by three young girls, all who sat leisurely on cushions. The hallway had ended at a small room, only a bit wider than the hallway itself. The girls who sat, no older than twelve or thirteen, looked up from their hobby and gave Suzuki a smile.

"The mistress has been waiting." One said minutely, tossing aside her puzzle with a lazy gesture.

"Yeah, we know." Hisoka replied snappily. The smaller girl shrugged, and hopped up from her seat. She walked over to the set of doors that-Wait, did that kanji say what she thought it said?

A sloppily pressed symbol lay half and half on each side of the door, a symbol that Saya found to stand for _Kake_, or otherwise known as _Gamble_. The symbol was black against the white rice paper, and was surrounded by a red circle the color of brick.

Saya idly wondered if this was not only a brothel, but a gamble house as well.

"Mistress! Hisoka and Susuki are here to see you, and they brought someone with them!" The girl called out in a high voice, pulling open the door from the side. The other girls went back to their belongings, ignoring the three women as they stepped forward into a musky room.

It was not a large room, as the doors made it seem; rather, the room was big enough to be considered roomy and comfortable.

The walls were just as the others in the house, but covered in scroll paintings of butterflies and purple lilies. However, along the back was a wall-sized painting of cards a pair of dice, scattered on a tea table next to two cups of cool sake. Along the other walls were dust-encrusted books, piling into mini-skyscrapers of bound paper.

The lighting was also dim in this room as well, so Saya could hardly make out any of the books titles; however, she was able to note that most of them held titles that had to do with what seemed to be puzzles. One book particularly stood next to the right wall, the title clearly reading: _Gambling, a Game of Wits. _

There was a smoky thickness in the room, though, and made it hard to breath without coughing. The scent of tobacco and something even spicier than the hallways itched Saya's nose and tickled her throat, which brought her attention from the décor to the middle of the room.

There, on a large lounge stuffed with pillows, laid a long, wiry woman, bathed in the smoke that weaved from her petite pipe. A tea table was situated between them, on top was a handful of dice, three wooden cups, and a group of metal circles all connected at one end of each other. Behind the woman, Saya could almost make out what seemed to be another door.

"Eh, who's this?"

Her voice was soft, like a river or lake; something cool and collected. Hisoka and Susuki stepped on either side of Saya, Susuki bowing slightly while Hisoka stood stiffly.

The woman eyed Saya with dark brown eyes; Iris' that merged with her pupil to make all seem black. Her hair, too, was dark.

It seemed as if it flowed, like a midnight sky reflected in a slowly flowing river, down her back and to her ankles, which were crossed daintily across one another. She was dressed heavily in layers of loose kimono, all a varying shade of red and violet, her skin a moonlit white against the dim lit room kept about her.

"Her name is…" Susuki trailed off, suddenly realizing that she had no idea what Saya's name was. She looked to Hisoka, who apathetically shrugged back in response.

"Sayuri." Saya smiled at the woman. "At your service."

"Souka. What a pretty name. Sayuri." The woman took a drag from her pipe, a knowing smile of her own danced along her lips, as if she held some sort of little secret. "But before we address your presence." She lanced her eyes towards Hisoka. "Hisoka, dear, where have you been? It's nearly afternoon."

Hisoka placed both hands on her hips and gave her mistress a deadpan look.

"I was taking out the trash, miss." She retorted, Saya holding back a chuckle at her response.

"I see." The mistress replied simply, delicately handling her pipe and emptying the ash in an ashtray along the side of her. "But now that you're done, can you please get ready for tonight? Our most popular customer has specifically asked for you and Nasu, much to our dismay." She reapplied a small bunch of tobacco from a small box next to the tray, packing it into the pipe and relighting it with a stray match.

"Dismay?" Saya inquired with a pointed index finger. The woman's eyes flashed in the twilight light, the smile ever lingering.

"Yes, dismay. Our client is quite the troublemaker."

"But he's also the one who pays a lot of the bills." Susuki added, in a gurgling voice. She sounded as if she were displeased with the fact, but had come to accept it all the same.

"He's an obnoxious pig is what he is." Hisoka hissed. She took notice of her mistress' expression and sighed. "But I'll go clean up and dress. If not for you, mistress, then definitely for the money he's paying."

"Good." The mistress cocked her head to Saya. "Now then, Sayuri, I don't suppose you're here for a job, are you?"

Saya laughed and waved a hand in front of her face.

"No, I'm not." She said. "Actually, I accidentally overheard your girls talking about this priority customer of yours." She leaned her head forward, the light glinting along the gold in them. "Matsuko Hajii, if I'm not mistaken?"

Hisoka sent a rabid glare in her direction, the profanities almost vibrant in the air she exhaled.

"You might, and then again, you might not be." The mistress replied, taking a drag. "What's it to you, Sayuri-san?"

"Well, you see, I have a couple of friends who happen to be looking for Matsuko-san, and it would be incredibly convenient if you'd allow me to speak with him tonight." Saya knew she was on shaky ground. The man was obviously not an idol, but he _was_ a major source of income. A source the brothel would probably not want to lose, and of course, Hoshigake and Uchiha wanted Matsuko for his head, not his money.

There was a dilemma here.

How could she convince the mistress to hand over Matsuko, without creating some sort of disagreement?

Saya bit the inside of her cheek, a plethora of ideas jumping out at her as her eyes raved the room, calculating some deal that could satisfy them both.

The brothel wanted money, and Akatsuki wanted Matsuko.

"How much is Matsuko paying you regularly?" Saya questioned, her voice light and easy.

"Why do you want to know that?" Hisoka quickly asked, the talk of money sending her eyes pointed at Saya.

"Around one-hundred and seventy two thousand, four-hundred yen a week." The woman aired out. She slowly rose to a sitting position, switching her legs and crossing them at the knees. She relaxed into the back of the couch, letting her elbows dip along the back.

_Damn_….That was a lot. What was this guy doing, shagging five different girls a day?

He must be hooked on sex or something, because that money amount could support a family of five for a two months. Saya internally cringed at the idea of Hoshigake's reaction if she suggested they pay the brothel off for their guy.

Akatsuki must've been a wealthy organization, it just seemed that way to Saya anyway. So a couple of thousand yen wouldn't have been a problem.

But…

But rather than pay off a few call-girls, she was sure Uchiha and Hoshigake would just barge into the brothel and rip the guy apart in mid-screw.

That mental image made her cringe as well.

Saya glanced again around the room inconspicuously.

Perhaps she could make a deal with the woman before her, she seemed reasonable enough.

"Mistress-"

"Please, call me Chou." She interrupted with a velvet voice.

"Chou," Saya began again with a grin, "How would you feel about a little bet?"

The woman Chou raised a petite brow, her smile widening at the mention.

"What kind of bet?"

Saya's eyes locked on the picture in the back, focusing on the dice.

"How about a game of **Chō-Han**?" Saya swept her gaze back to Chou, the grin settling on a soft but crooked smile.

Chou's own smile reflected something wicked as she left out a puff of smoke.

"Gambling, is it? I hate to tell you, but I've never lost a bet." Her smile thickened. "What are the stakes?"

"The stakes are your customer. If I win, I get your cooperation in capturing him tonight during his reservation." Saya strode forward a few steps, stopping just before the table.

"And what if I win? What could you possibly have to offer?" Chou settled her pipe on the arm of the chair, her eyes electric as she waited for Saya's answer.

"If you win," She paused, staring Chou in the eye. "If you win, I'll owe you three times the amount of money you get from Matsuko in a month." Saya regarded Chou defiantly. "So, do we have a deal?"

The mistress smiled up at her fondly.

"Yes, we have a deal."

"The mistress is known widely for her good luck at gambling, Sayuri-san." Susuki informed her. "It's not a very good idea to bet against her."

"A little late to tell her that, isn't it Susuki?" Hisoka rudely pursed her lips, giving Suzuki a knowing look. Susuki shrugged playfully, as if she hadn't the faintest idea what Hisoka was implying.

"Good, then let's get started, shall we?" Saya sat at the tables edge, sweeping her knees beneath her and setting her forearms on the wood. "Two out of three?"

"Fine." Chou glided up from the couch, settling herself across from Saya and taking one cup into her palm.

"Whatever, I'm going to my room." Hisoka turned to leave, but Susuki caught her again by the scruff and dragged her to the end of the table, between the two competing women.

"Na-uh, Hisoka. There's no way we're going to miss this." She said heatedly.

"I don't give a damn! You watch, but leave me out of it!" Hisoka squirmed to escape Susuki's clutch, but to no easy avail. She was cemented in her spot next to the table, so with a huff, she rolled her eyes to the side.

"I'm so excited!" Susuki cheered, still holding Hisoka in place.

"So, are you ready Sayuri-san?" Chou placed two dice into the simple cup, her eyes slit beneath thick lashes.

Saya looked confidently back at her, her smile just a tad strained.

"Just throw the dice, Mistress Chou."

Chou gave her a coy smile, her hand caressing the cup, twirling the clattering dice within.

"So be it."

The dice noisily rolled around, clacking together as they collided with one another and the resonating sound of wood against wood.

Chou never let her eyes stray from Saya's as she prepared to tip the cup.

"Your call." She told Saya.

"Cho." Saya said firmly.

Chou's eyes narrowed in glee. Tilting over, the cup spilled the dice onto the table, both of which twirled and danced until settling on their destined digits.

"It's Sayuri-san's win." Susuki said aloud, referring to the dice, one that revealed a two and the other six. Chou continued to softly smile as she collected the dice once again. Hisoka trained her eyes back to the table, watching but disinterested all the same. She didn't really care for the outcome of the game, either way there was no realy benefit for her, and as long as she got paid, she could care less who did what.

"You can call again, Sayuri."

Saya watched her jiggle the cup in little jitters.

Should she call an even, or odd? Would she have the same luck to land two evens twice, or will it switch now that it had already been thrown?

"Han." She decided.

The dice spilled out onto the table again.

_Damn._

"Cho. Mistress wins."

Hisoka loosened her arms grip on herself, instead placing a palm on the surface of the tables edge. She rolled her tongue in her mouth and licked her lips, tapping the tips of her fingers along. If only there were more people here, she could bet on her mistress and earn some dough. Then again, just about everyone knew how terribly lucky she was; after all, Chou was known as the Lady Luck of Omashu.

Susuki rolled her eyes back and forth between the two players, knowing her mistress would definitely win.

Saya pushed back a chuckle, her eyes looking up at the mistress. She guessed that fate was having a bit of fun with her, shaking her nerves. If worst came to worst, she wondered if she'd have make a break for it, or some how wriggle her way out of owing money she knew she couldn't earn.

Her smile twitched.

Well, earn fairly that is.

Never the less, it would take her time to even dream of making half the amount she betted, and she was sure neither Hoshigake nor Uchiha would be very patient.

And the worst part was, she wouldn't actually go back on her word. A bet was a bet, and the last thing Saya was, was a liar.

"You can pick again, if you like." Chou cupped the open end of the mug with her hand, jostling it at each side of her head.

"Han."

The mistress gave an open-mouthed smile and paused in her shaking.

"So be it."

"I told you I never lose."

Yeah, so….

Saya never had been much of a gambler.

Her luck just wasn't what most would call…

Abundant.

Saya sat with an exasperated frown on her face before the three women.

"How about five out of six?" Saya offered.

"No dice." Chou replied, a pipe now cradled between her fingers and lit.

"Sucks for you, bakka." Hisoka said and watched Saya lean back on her hands, her eyes on the ceiling.

"Hoshigake's gonna kill me…" She mumbled, a sigh filled with exhaustion.

"Who's gonna kill who?" Susuki piped, looking between Saya and Chou expectantly. "What, is he your boyfriend or something?" Saya's face made her guess again. " Or worse, your husband?"

Saya gave her a look that could freeze Hell.

Instantaneously.

"No." She answered bluntly. "He's my pet fish."

Susuki gave her a quizzical look, wondering why her fish would kill her, but keeping quiet all the same.

After all, what kind of pet fish could kill it's owner?

She highly doubted Saya had a pet shark.

Saya's thoughts wandered for a moment, the idea of paying the mistress back stabbing at her skull. The stabbing only worsened when she remembered that it was her own fault for getting into this mess. She could have done the smart thing, and simply reported back to Hoshigake and Uchiha with her findings, then let _them_ make the master plan to catch this hic.

But no.

As usual, she'd wanted to look cool and make an impression. To be able to dazzle them with her astounding wits and flash her suave charm.

Ha.

What a laugh.

Look where _that_ got her.

"A weary wanderer can never sigh, she cannot breathe, she cannot cry. For if she should express one breath, she'll find herself a lonely death." Saya muttered under a heavy tongue. "The strain to keep, and kept in piece is all that drives her on her feet. And if she let's out just one sigh, she'll have to fall and slowly die."

Hisoka and Susuki ogled at Saya.

"Tell me, where did you hear that poem?"

Saya looked back to the mistress who had voiced her question, a curious expression on her face. Saya tiredly replied.

"I make it up as I go along. It helps me release pent up aggravation, I guess." She shook her head.

"I'll bet you've had a long life for someone so young." Chou said slowly. "Your voice sounds heavy, and tired as well."

"You can't be much older than me." Saya rejoined. Chou gave her a coy smile, holding up a hand to her lips.

"You flatter me, but I am much older than I look." She waved to herself and took a long inhale. "However, my age is not what concerns me." Saya raised a brow. "Tell me," Chou said with a mischievous quirk of her lips, "Are you any good at riddles?"

Hisoka blanched while Susuki beamed.

"Not _again_." Hisoka sighed.

_A lie._

_A lie is an Untruth, not So or Being._

_You intently shove a sweet venom of these fiends down my throat._

_As if jabbing my untrusting mouth with a scalding poker._

_It burns, oh it burns, and blisters the flesh of my esophagus._

_Bleeding and searing the tender flesh._

_It tears open and the lies drip down, cascading past the muscles of my throat and collecting around my heart._

_There the lies fester._

_The larvae of falsities wriggle deep, creating cavities of uncertainty deep within my soul._

_So now…_

_Even the obvious is doubtful._

_And I can no longer believe in fairytales. _

_A lie._

_A lie that slowly thickens in the veins of reality, tarnishing, then rusting all that was once true, and rotting it from the inside out._

_The blood that pumps through and through, the heartbeat leading it through a dance of illusions and naught._

_This is a lie._

_Saya has learned what a lie is, and what it can do._

_What it is capable of, and how it can change people._

_What's worse is the hate and fear that drives the lie._

_The motivation behind the disgusting propaganda, what has made it not only come forth into being, but also what corrupted the heart that has bequeathed such a lie._

_A stem from loneliness, and sadness; Fear, and hurt._

_Only a degraded soul could give birth to such a treacherous lie._

_And it all began with a simple, innocent thing._

_A little thing, so full of hopes and things that could have been._

_A thing called love._

_The love turned to obsession, and soon, the obsession turned to sin._

_Saya was victim of this vicious circle._

_She was transformed into a ghost of the past._

_Just as her village had been.._

_There is just one difference between the two._

_Saya came back to life._

_But, I think I'm getting ahead of myself._

Kisame walked beside Itachi as they made their way back to the inn, their search utterly fruitless.

A few beggars on the streets held open palms for spare change, most elderly but a few younger than Kisame himself.

The sun was beginning to dip behind the buildings, casting the ghetto in an orange glow.

"Guess we're going to have to stay an extra night."

Kisame happened to steal a look at a small merchant selling trinkets and baubles to young children.

"What did you sell to that vendor yesterday?" He asked, eyeing Itachi who held a steady gaze before him. Itachi seemed for a moment to deliberate on something before answering with a monotone reply.

"Something I no longer needed."

"Oh?" Kisame looked away. "Was it something from your life before Akatsuki?"

"Hn."

Itachi closed his eyes as a brief image of his younger brother flashed through his mind. The image was of his brother, lightly blushing, and shyly holding up something to him.

"_I saved up for it. So, happy birthday!"_

"Whatever, let's just get back to the room before the onna decides to do something more stupid than she's probably already done."

The image cracked, but before it could shatter, Itachi switched of the memory.

The boy Sasuke had once been would surely just be a memory.

No more would be the younger brother.

Only a shadow out for revenge.

…..

_When you're hurt and scared for so long, the fear and pain turn to hate._

_And the hate starts to change the world. _

_(Silent Hill)_

***Cho-Han is a dice game.**

**You throw two dice, and the people playing bet whether or not the accumulated number will be even or odd.**

**Kusekke-chan, what Saya call's Hisoka, is just a nickname she threw at her. It refers to Hisoka's brown hair.**

**Ah, yes, and I sorta got a little off-put by the suffix's, so sorry if I didn't keep up with 'em. I'll make sure to do that from now on.**

**And thank you to that reader who took up my challenge, you're a real trooper.**

**Oh, one last thing:**

**A gypsy-pirate? That, my dear, is pure awesome at it's finest. I'm glad to know I'm portraying Saya the right way**

**You totally made my day.**

**Till sometime in the future.**

**~Serb **


	17. Ch 17: Of Pig and Salamanders

…_._

…_..._

…_..._

_Innocent… just how she is. Pure… just how she remains._

_-Tite Kubo_

…_**...**_

…_**...**_

…

"_All that I am, I've strived for Sayuri-dono." _

"_You seem to be very loyal to our captain commander."_

"…_What is it that you needed?"_

_The two men._

_The two friends._

_The two enemies stood at the precipice of defeat._

"_Would you die for me?"_

"_Never."_

"_Would you die for your princess?"_

"_Without hesitation."_

_The two soldiers._

_Facing a death meant by other means._

"_Then by all means, die." _

…_..._

…_.._

…

"_How could you want this?"_

"_How could you not?"_

_A soldier at arms with a tarnished blade unable to cut._

_His resolve as firm as his grasp, but hindered by a cut deeper than just skin._

"_Has this all been a guise? Have we been nothing but tools at your disposal?"_

_The standing soldier can only smile at the kneeling one, pitiless and void of remorse._

"_Tools are useful things. You are merely an obstacle. A rock in my path, to be kicked aside and disregarded."_

_The kneeling soldier cannot wince, but grinds his teeth in hate and shame._

_Hate for the friend that betray him._

_Shame for even trusting him in the first place._

"_And what of Sayuri-dono? Has her friendship meant nothing?"_

_The soldier, now slayer, can only smile mockingly._

_It is all that he knows to do._

"_No. No, Sayuri is not a tool, because we both know she cannot be used. Nor is she a rock, because if one were to kick her, they should break their foot. Not at all is she those things." The betrayer steps forward, the blade caressing the soldiers cheek. "No, she is the lily that waits in the pond, her root strong beneath the wilted waters surface." _

_The blade digs a cut along the soldiers skin, a rivulet of blood dripping forth and slicking his face._

"_A lily with a root. A lily, which, should not have been planted at all, and would have been better left elsewhere, where her beauty could not have tainted the waters below her."_

"_I don't understand."_

"_Then you never will."_

…_..._

…

…_._

"_This is revenge, isn't it?"_

"_No. Revenge is something that happens after something else has started. This is only the beginning."_

_They continue to fight with ambition, the closing cometh with a sliver of hope for the betrayed soldier._

_To be quashed._

"_The beginning of what?"_

"_Justice."_

…_..._

…_.._

…_._

_Jin lay still along the sanded stones of a pathway chosen not oft by the present village inhabitants._

_The night was over._

_The early morning had just begun._

_A single figure stood above the corpse, a blade methodically dripping of something once stilled._

_What a pity he was so loyal._

_What a shame he had to die._

_Still a greater shame, should he have lived for the sake of the one woman who had wronged the figure._

_In every way possible._

_The man, the figure, the soldier, the slayer turned to wait in hefty silence for the woman in question._

_Even more to pity was the slayer himself. _

_Because, when you're so in love that you go crazy with want, it's quite hard to see reality._

_And when reality becomes skewered, it slowly cracks, then shatters, and all you have left are mangled pieces to watch in melancholy._

_Before long, that reality seems fake, and all you know are the twisted pieces you created from it, in hopes of putting it back together again._

_And before you know it, you've gone mad. _

…_..._

…_..._

…_._

Saya sat solemnly at the quaint tea table located within the confines of their inn room. A small cup of steaming tea was before her, a tint of brown and red confirming it as some variation of cinnamon and another unnamable spice. The steam drifted upwards, just before her blank features and closed eyes.

Hisoka's own were focused on tallying up a sum of bills, all in depicting piles of colors, and a small pile of Ryo. She sat across from Saya, her money placed on the table in front of her, and a tea pot that she'd retrieved from the inn's storage was beside her rather than a cup of her own. The pot was a simple off-base white, with blue lines that looked as if a blue paint brush had leaked across its surface.

"So when are these men that you talked about coming back?" Hisoka questioned without lifting her gaze. She bit her tongue in concentration as she added another bill from her sleeve.

"I'd expect soon." Thunder clapped in the distance. "I don't imagine the rain would bother them, but it is almost nightfall."

"Hn."

"You know," Saya brought the cup to her lips, taking in the warmth with a slight inhale, "You sound just like one of 'em. He's the one who has the personality depth of a rock." She took a sip, opening one eye to gauge Hisoka's expression, almost spitting out her tea when she suddenly took stock of a drowned Uchiha standing next to the front door.

She hadn't heard him come in.

His stare, she imagined, had a bit of annoyance behind it.

"Oh, Uchiha, I didn't see you there!" She said with a grin, sputtering a bit from her spilt tea. She settled it back on the table and wiped her chin with a thumb, also taking in Kisame's wet appearance as well. They must have gotten caught in the storm outside.

"Hey onna, who's the gaki with all the money?" Kisame sent a glance over to Hisoka, who swiftly swept the piles into one and back into the depths of her left sleeve. She gave him a suspicious look, as if she were afraid he'd snatch it up before her.

"I'm just here on orders." She sniffed, tilting her chin to the ceiling.

"What orders?" Itachi stepped forward, the water glistened against the artificial light above, his pristine cloak and ruffled hair dripping. Hisoka gulped, but otherwise kept a straight face as he sent a penetrating stare through her body.

"Orders from my mistress. It is of concerns regarding Sayuri-san's accord with her." She flicked a stray hair and relaxed her tense muscles. "I never wanted to be here in the first place." And with that, she leant on her palm and transfixed her gaze on Saya.

Saya once again casually took a gulp of tea, downing what was left of it before clapping it onto the table. Both men regarded her from the distance they'd been holding, waiting for her explanation. When she didn't give it immediately, and her face slowly upturned into a nervous grin, Kisame gave a long sigh and rubbed the cold from his hands.

"What trouble have you gotten into now, onna?" He stepped forward and, disregarding his dampened state, took a seat at one end of the table, between the two women. Itachi kept his place, but his glare softened into a weary hesitance.

The grin on Saya's face instantly soured as she crossed her arms along her chest.

"And what makes you think I got into any sort of trouble?" She eyed them for a second. "You have no faith in me, do ya?"

"Faith? Yeah, I have faith in you. Faith that you'll step into something you can't handle." Kisame retorted.

"And just what have I done to grant you this vision of me, hm?" Saya tapped a finger. "I've barely attracted any sort of trouble since I've met the both of you."

"Then what do you call what happened in the forest?"

"I said _barely_."

Kisame shifted Samehada across his lap, suppressing a grin as Hisoka slid nervously away in the opposite direction. It seemed as though she caught their scent, and knew that they could be dangerous.

Smart girl.

He looked back over to Saya, who tampered with a hangnail on her thumb, looking up sharply and giving Kisame a wild glare.

And what a dumb woman.

"I'm not dumb, teme." She chewed on the nail viciously before spitting it in the other direction.

Hm, had he said that out loud?

His grin broke through.

Oops.

"Then you're dense, onna." He replied, his grin falling quickly.

The reason his grin fell so particularly fast was due to a certain someone's shoe smacking him in the face. A slight marred area stood out as the shoe fell, his livid expression making Hisoka all but bolt out the door.

"_**Onna**_." He growled deeply.

Saya had her other shoe in her hand, a forced smile cracking her lips.

"Say that again, bakka ka." She warned.

"You do _not_ want to pick a fight with me, woman." His tone made a shiver run down Hisoka's spine, then deep into her bones, freezing her into her place. She wanted desperately to jump up and heave out. Her eyes trailed over Itachi. Forget the door, she'd fly out the window if she had to, but something akin to that chilling fear glued her to the floor.

Fascination.

She couldn't believe this woman was picking a fight with a tall, muscular, _blue_ guy, and a shinobi from the smell of things. It was…

Well, she couldn't decide if it was courageous or idiotic.

The woman must have been daft.

Entertainingly so.

"Oh? Maybe I do, Hoshigake. Then maybe we can settle this bug up your ass once and for all."

In the next moment, Kisame wielded Samehada, swiping it right at Saya's neck in a movement Hisoka had not anticipated, nor had she seen.

She also hadn't seen Saya block his slice with a weathered tanto, her grip on its hilt firm and unflinching as her eyes danced with a fiery contempt.

Where she had got the tanto was beyond Hisoka, though, she imagined her mistress had something to do with it.

Saya stared into Kisame's eyes, and his into hers as they held each other in place with one another's blades.

"You'll loose, onna. My sword will devour all your chakra and leave you with nothing but pretty flips and spins to rely on."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I don't have much chakra then, isn't it? Besides, I fancy those pretty tricks could get me by just fine."

Their glares intensified as they leant forward, pressuring the blades tighter and creating a sharp noise from the contact.

In the next moment, Itachi stood between the two, his eyes spinning as he gave Kisame a hard look.

"Kisame."

He deliberated before letting out a small sigh. Kisame pushed back, relieving the stress on the smaller tanto, and in the process Saya pulled back, dipping the tanto back away on her person. Heaving Samehada once again onto his back, Kisame stood with a new patience.

"Sayuri-san." Itachi said without seeing her. "Please refrain from squabbling with Kisame."

"As you wish, Uchiha. It was only in good humor, rest assured." Saya said, stepping back with a light smile. Then, as sly as she was, she brought up a hand and inspected her nails. "I suppose I'll just keep my wonderful information to myself, then. It's not as if Ao-san would appreciate it anyway." At the mention of her nickname for him, Kisame narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Hn."

"Ne, Uchiha, you can't tell me you aren't the least curious as to what my information pertains to?" Saya slid back towards the balcony, dropping her hand.

"Hn."

"Hn."

Itachi graced Saya a look.

"What? Two can play at that game."

"Stop playing cat-and-mouse, Sayuri-san. Just tell them about Hajii-sama." Hisoka blurted, standing on her own two legs now that she knew they would support her. She was still weary of the blue man, but otherwise riled herself up and stood her ground.

Time was money, and she definitely hated to waste either.

"Matsuko Hajii?"

Saya smiled cunningly over at Kisame.

"Who else, Ao-san? I struck a deal with the mistress of the brothel, where Mr. Matsuko is quite the regular. In fact, we have a nice little date with him later tonight." She leaned against the wall. "So, if you need to freshen up Hoshigake, the bathroom's free. I'm ready as is."

"Shut it." He growled. Itachi made a hand seal with relaxed hands before a gentle warmth evaporated the water from both his and Kisame's clothes. Hisoka watched them masking her astonishment (Because, really, she'd never actually _seen_ a shinobi before) with an impatient bounce.

"Sayuri-san, it's getting late, and if you don't want Hajii-sama to figure out what you're doing , then you better get a move on whatever it _is_ you're doing." She turned around to the door Kisame and Itachi had come through.

"Ne, Hisoka, where 'ya goin?" Saya leaned against the banister along the back wall.

Hisoka only twitched her head in reply before sliding the door open, and closing it behind her. The silence that ensued for a few mere moments made Saya want to itch something.

"Well, you heard the woman!" She chirped, a sudden smile lighting her face.

"What's with that smug look." Saya cocked her head, the smile reproachful to Kisame as that previous bubble of anger simmered in his veins.

"Smug? No, I'd like to call it an accomplished look, Hoshigake." She gave him her crooked smile. "No thanks for finding you man is necessary. Well, actually, money would be nice." The rain pattered along the roof, creating a muted silence as Kisame crossed his arms.

"What for?"

Saya twisted her wrist and turned towards the balcony, placing a hand against the rice paper screen.

"I sorta owe the brothels mistress some cash." Itachi noticed as her fingers twitched slightly. "I made a bet, you see. And, well, I've never been any good at gambling." She turned her neck to look over her shoulder. "But we'll worry about that later."

"Where do you get off telling us what to do?" Kisame gave Saya a deadly glare. "Don't forget your place, onna."

"It was a friendly suggestion, not an order, Hoshigake." She muttered. "Matsuko is supposed to arrive at the brothel soon, and it would be better if we were there to entertain him, don't you think?"

"You have a plan." It wasn't a question so much as a statement as Itachi walked over near Saya.

"Yeah, how about the two of you slap on some make-up and some dresses, and we can fool Matsuko into thinking you two lovely ladies are his company for the night?" She caught sight of Itachi's stare and let the humorous smile fall from her face.

"Actually, no. I just figured you'd hit him with a vase or something when he walks through the door. I don't think you want to wait around while he gets cozy with some hiyoko. That would be…awkward." She looked. "What? He's just some gangster, right?"

Itachi walked back to the entrance, Kisame at his heels as they disappeared out the door. Saya blinked.

"Oi, what?" Saya called out to them. "Did I say something wrong? Matte!" She dashed out after them.

…

…...

…...

"Hage." She mumbled.

"What was that?"

"…Nothing."

"You're going to have to come out sooner or later, onna." Kisame said, a grin twitching on his lips. He stood in a small waiting room, near a sliding door that led a bedroom. They were in the brothel, and had been a little over twenty minutes. It was funny, Saya thought, how easily the Uchiha had asserted things between the mistress and himself. It was also sort of funny how the mistress had sided with the Uchiha over her on the matter of Saya's debt. The mistress, coy as ever, had sympathized with the Uchiha and Hoshigake, and in exchange for the ryo Saya had indebted herself in, she dealt her another deck.

Rather than owe that crazy amount of money, the mistress suggested that Saya dress up and, while waiting for Matsuko to arrive, attract customers along the patio of the brothel. When Kisame questioned her why she would make such a trade, the mistress had merely let a trail of smoke flow from her lips.

"_Ah, yes. Why would I do such a thing?" Chou gave the men a knowing smile, Susuki oblivious to her mistress' intent. "I suppose it's because I believe Sayuri-san has the ability to rake in more than enough money in looks alone." _

_Kisame laughed. "You're kidding. All this smoke must have damaged your eyes." _

"_I'm quite sure the smoke has done me wonders." Chou sighed. "But that's besides the point. The point is, I'm offering an exchange. Take it or leave it."_

"_We don't owe you anything." Itachi said lowly._

"_I didn't say that, did I?" She leaned back into the cushions of her seat. "However, Sayuri-san is in your care, correct?" She paused and took a drag. "Sayuri-san is the one in debt. She minimized her debt by half when she agreed to entertain me in a game of Nozonazo." She blew out through her nose. "Never the less, she is still in debt. She is also honor-bound, whether she seems it or not. You can tell by her eyes." She murmured the last part._

"_Hn."_

_Chou seemed to snap out of a thought, and readdressed her guests._

"_She won't leave until she pays back her debt, meaning you two gentlemen cannot leave until she pays back her debt. She is your charge, am I right?"_

"_It doesn't matter whether she wants to leave this village or not, she has no say." Kisame ignored her question. _

"_It will still be another three hours until Matsuko Hajii arrives. Let the girl pay back her debts. Besides, you wouldn't like it if other people played with your scores, now would you?" Chou curled a smile._

"_Show us where we can apprehend Matsuko Hajii." Itachi's velvet voice cut through the thick air, Susuki awed by the eloquence of his tone. She'd only ever known one shinobi, and she wasn't much to talk about. Well, she was. In fact, the shinobi she knew was a lot to talk about. Just none of it was good, she thought with a giggle. _

"_Then it's a deal?" _

"_It's not my deal to make."_

_Suddenly, Saya opened the door with an annoyed frown._

"_Oi. We have to work on our communication skills. Don't just leave and not say where you're goin." She huffed, the younger girls curiously peering in behind her. They had been patiently waiting for their mothers working hours to end when Saya had slid into their dwelling. _

"_Ah, Sayuri-san. We were just talking about you." Chou said, a hint of something devious slithering out her throat. _

"_I don't like the sound of that." Saya took a few steps forward, stopping before Kisame and Itachi. Susuki inched along the wall, closer to her mistress. "What's the talking?"_

_The look on Chou's face made Saya, for the first time in a while, nervous. _

"_Nani? What's with that look…?"_

"Go fuck yourself Hoshigake."

"It's your own fault, Sayuri-san." Susuki whispered into her ear, finishing up the obi around Saya's waist. "You shouldn't have made the bet in the first place. Just feel lucky that the mistress is being so humble."

"Humble my ass." Saya twitched. "This is _not_ what I'd call humble." She opened her mouth to say something else, but then sighed. "You're right. I'm jut too stubborn for my own good." She paused. "And arrogant. I guess I'm still not done with being Sayuri-dono."

"Sayuri-dono?" Susuki questioned curiously, but Saya turned away from her, tired of looking into the mirror she was standing in front of; rather, she took to the door. Just before she opened it, though, Kisame's voice emitted from the other side.

"It's getting late. The more time you waste, the less money you earn."

"Isn't that the truth." Hisoka walked from around the corner that led to the waiting room, dressed in a cleaner version of her previous dress. The dirt that seemed to coat her skin was washed away, leaving a golden visage along her limbs and face that showed. She placed a hand on her hip, impatient as ever. "Come on out and earn your debt, Sayuri-san. It's not like you're nothing we haven't seen before."

"Cheeky brat." Saya muttered cheerfully. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Getting into a kimono like this is hard work, ya know?" With that, she slid open the door.

"About time." Kisame said, opening his eyes and shoving off the wall.

"Patience is a virtue, Hoshigake." As she slipped through the door, Hisoka bit back a sigh that had almost escaped her lips. It wasn't as if Saya was a dog or anything, she thought. When she had first laid eyes on the elder woman, the first word she tagged to her was exotic. There weren't many people in Omashu that carried a skin tone like hers, even for distant traders. It was a tone of mocha, almost a deep brown, and her eyes were gold as well, so they accented the unfamiliarity of Saya herself. The earrings she wore, too, seemed like a custom that was unknown to Hisoka.

Actually, the exotic tag was the second word she pinned to her. The first was _yakuza_. The only people she'd ever seen before with a look any similar to Saya's was a group of thugs she'd once been cornered by when she was younger. She'd been pick-pocketing on their turf, and they'd decided to teach her a lesson.

Regardless, as Saya stood before her now, she wondered if she'd seen anything so different before.

She wasn't as gorgeous as some of the women she'd seen in her time. No, in fact, she'd seen a lot more beautiful women in the slums never mind the center of Omashu, where the more endowed society lurked. Many had pampered hair, slim bodies, full lips. Yeah, Hisoka had seen way more beautiful women than she could remember.

Still.

As Saya came from behind the door, she couldn't help but be surprised.

She was a sight, sure. The kimono was one of their best, a red and gold piece that held a salamander theme. The cuffs slid down mid-arm, and were speckled with a design akin to the skin of, of course, a salamanders. The neck was a deep ruby, open enough to view her collarbone, but nothing more along her torso, and was tied back by a thick, golden obi.

Susuki had done her hair nicely as well, tied back in some sort of decorated style, leaving only her rather outgrown bangs to tickle her face. Because her hair was back, her earrings glistened along her ears, only adding to the striking nature of her vision. She even had a bit of face paint on, lining her eyes and lips.

But it wasn't her dress, so much, as the way she held herself. It was as if she were some type of nobility, with straight posture and refined eyes. Feeling something tense to her right, she wondered what it was and found the shinobi Saya had been calling Hoshigake. He looked just as he had a moment ago, bored and obviously out of place in a world like hers. But for some reason, Hisoka thought, his eyes seemed different. It was almost as if…

Looking back, she narrowed her eyes. This Saya was much different from the tricky, obnoxious woman she had met earlier.

Rather suddenly, Saya's dress got caught along her leg, and fed up with the heavy clothing, she forcefully kicked it away from her with a scowl on her face and a gurgled snarl.

Hisoka almost cradled her head.

Okay, so maybe she wasn't so different.

Said woman brushed herself off, noticing Kisame watching her.

"What?"

Kisame shook his head.

"Nothing."

"You better get out there before it gets too late." Susuki sang as she came from behind Saya. However, Saya was busy looking around the room.

"Oi, where's the Uchiha?" She asked.

"Mind your own business, onna." Kisame turned to the threshold of the room.

"Hage."

"Wench."

With that, he left the room and decided to track down his partner. He assumed he was waiting near the entrance of the brothel, closest to where Matsuko Hajii would be coming from. Itachi-san had always been reserved, so understanding him was difficult. Hell, it was impossible. But that didn't mean the boy didn't have habits, and Itachi did have a habit of being laconic. So of course, what else would he be doing other than casting a genjutsu to ensnare the target?

His mind shimmered with an image he'd rather not think about, so brushing it away easily, he continued along the hallway, tired of dealing with people he'd rather not know.

….

….

…..

"I hate this."

"You've made a lot of money though. Actually, you've made more than a lot, and just from standing here!"

"It's demeaning."

"I don't know, I sorta took you for the type to do this kinda stuff."

"I don't know where you mind is, gaki , but I have _never_ done something like this." Saya hesitated. "Well, I guess being hammered and wobbling around a strange city isn't any better."

"What was that, Sayuri-san?"

"Nothing."

Hisoka, Susuki, and Saya stood along the entrance of the brothel. It was a stretch of wooden floor, littered with a few other women calling out to men suggestively. The men, of course, called out back just as bad.

The air was thick, almost clogged with the scents of food and summer, and the slums lit up surprisingly well in the night's shadows. Lanterns were strung sloppily from shack to house, inn to ramen shop. The paper was folded by hand, some looked as if they'd been stolen from someplace nicer; They left no place with darkness. The nightlife was popular, it seemed, but mostly occupied by men coming home from some low-paying, manual labor job. Some grinned sheepishly at one-another, too busy to partake in anything because their thoughts were fixated on wives and children at home, while others made their ways towards bars and brothels to entertain and distract themselves from their mundane lives.

Saya hadn't seen this familiarity the night before. She hadn't glimpsed even the slightest jovial face or gesture when they had arrived in the city, and she supposed that was because they had arrived so late in the night. It was strange, to be sure, that there was so much…

She couldn't name it.

Was this happiness? Ignorance to the poverty? Or pure brilliance? The disguise these villagers had thrown over their rusty neighborhood was astounding.

Saya hadn't expected this, not in the least. She'd seen a lot of different kinds of villages during her inebriated travels, and although some of them were difficult to recount, she definitely hadn't come across anyplace like this. The colors, the laughter, just the togetherness of the whole lot. It was so similar to a simple village, someplace in the middle of nowhere. So contrasting to the big-city, impoverished feel that it had given off during the day.

Saya sat lazily along the porch as Susuki and some other woman busied themselves with a potential customer, leaving Saya to herself as she watched the people. Her kimono felt so strange against her skin, and so very different in comparison to her usual attire. Actually, now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember the last time she had dressed up.

Was it the time that she had to play ambassador to the rival clan leader, that so much wanted to best her at commanding a correction squadron?

Or maybe it was that time her sister and her had to meet potential bachelors, back before their mother had passed?

Saya drawled and scratched the side of her face.

That was a really long time ago. So long, and in such a different time of her life.

The thought of that party almost made her chuckle.

Her sister had absolutely thrived in the attention she attracted from the boys. Other families of great prestige had dragged them along to meet the oh-so legendary Imatsura Rokuro's daughters.

That being her father, obviously. He had been a, what Saya would call, bone head warrior. That isn't to say he was stupid, or anything of the sort. Honestly, the man was a complete genius in battle strategy and the art of war: But you see, that's all he did.

Fight, that is.

He was a pure-blood warrior, shinobi, murderer, whatever it is you wanted to throw and tag to him. Saya still couldn't understand how her mother, gentle and patient, had ever fallen in love with such a man. Maybe it was because she was so different? But Saya hated to think of funny things like love and the likes.

Regardless, her father had been a well-known leader, and so of course other families wanted dibs on the prospect of having their sons marry the would-be clan leader: Imatsura Misa. Saya's sister was all that she wasn't, even at a young age: She knew how to cook, how to clean, how to dance and play the _**kokyū**_; She was great at drawing and painting, especially with watercolors, and she understood poetry very well.

She just couldn't write it.

So really, if Saya wanted to put it simply, Misa was a _girl_. A well-educated, and very feminine _girl_.

During that party, there were at least a dozen boys their age, or a bit older, most of whom were just as put out to be there as Saya was.

"_Parties like this are stupid." _

_Little Saya, stood with arms crossed, her eyes drooped to a lazy stare as they almost always were when she was in a mood. She watched the families flirt their way to her fathers fancy, though, he of course saw right through it. No one could really tell, but Saya had gotten used to reading her fathers hands._

_His hands, she thought, always sort of reflected his mood, whether they were fisted in anger, flattened in irritation, or laced when in the company of her mother. Right now, they were tucked into the crooks of his pits, his irritation at the event obvious in his stance. Saya had been playing near the elders quarters when she overheard (Not eavesdropped, no. Definitely not that.) a conversation between them and her father. The party was their idea, and while her father thought it was a fools event, they had forcefully insisted._

_So there they were._

_Her mother was absent from the festivities; She had been bed-ridden as of late, with a chest-cold of some sort. _

_At the thought of her mother, Saya dragged her eyes to her sister, who stood dazzling among a small group of the dozen who had been captured by her charm. She laughed along at something Saya hadn't heard, only making her sigh out of boredom. _

"_What a drag."_

"_Sayuri-dono!" Jin poked her cheek with a frown. "You should be more involved with these political meetings." _

"_Political meetings my ass. This is just a dog show, and Misa's the prize." She drawled. _

"_Where did you learn that word?" Jin asked, astonished. He regarded her as if she just confessed to hammering a kitten to death._

"_The cook called her husband it the other day." She told him casually. "But I still think this is a waste of time."_

"_Jealous?" Saya looked behind Jin to see her other best friend, Sato Katsutoshi. His family, very akin to Jin's, had served Saya's for quite a few generations, all the way back to the first ninja war. However, unlike Jin's, Sato's was higher along the social latter. Actually, his father had been her fathers captain for a while._

_Sato was a slight boy, thinner and less wiry as some boys were his age. He had long fingers, and long legs that made him very much regal looking compared to Jin, who was a darker skin tone and all-together his opposite. Sato's hair was a dark brown, clipped at the sides and pulled into a tidy plait on the back of his head. Saya had been friends with him and Jin since they were toddlers; however, Sato had always had a certain sharpness to his smoldering eyes, ashen in color and wicked in some respect. He was a very smart boy, and preferred to spend his time in a dojo, practicing kendo, and in his room, reading things Saya hadn't the slightest interest in reading. _

"_Eh, Katsu-kun?" Saya slurred._

"_Misa-chan being next in line to lead the clan." He said with upturned lips, adjusting the glasses on his nose. "That's what this dinner is all about." Towards the end of his statement, he gave the boys surrounding Misa a mild look of distaste before looking back to Saya._

"_Buuuuuu…?" Saya stared back at Katsu._

"_You are not a pig, Saya-chan. Speak like a normal person." He scolded._

"_Puuu-Puuu." She replied, making a face and sluggishly flapping her hands. Then, Jin was beside her, mimicking her face and movements. _

"_Buuu-Buuu."_

"…_I'm not doing that." He said with an irritated scowl. They continued to make noises, unheard amongst the chatter of the room. _

"_Buuu-Buu." Katsu twitched, his ground teeth evident between his curled lips. They inched towards him, invading his personal space and making noise until a near-by woman in an extravagant kimono gave Saya and Jin an irritated glance. Next to her was a young boy, most likely her son, who had a half-eaten piece of food in his hand. _

"_A good thing that the elder one is decent." The woman sneered. Her nose was upturned, giving her the appearance of pig. Her eyes were thin and squinted, and a large beauty mark was situated next to her snout. "Otherwise I would rather you marry a cow before a wild thing like that." She sniffed and coaxed her son in the opposite direction, near where Misa was standing. _

_As the woman departed, Katsu, Jin, and Saya looked from the woman, then to each other._

"_Is it just me or did that woman look like a…" Saya drawled off. Then, as if sharing her thoughts, Katsu shoved his face next to his friends._

"_Buu-Buu!"_

_The three choked on laughter, gripping their sides and doubling over at the irony of the moment._

Saya's eyes focused back, the memory still lingering like a lovers chaste kiss.

She cupped her hand to her cheek, deep in thought as a feeling left her cold on the street.

Everything had been so warm then.

But it's funny, 'cause she knew now that the warmth had been bound to get cold; after all, even the hottest of soups chilled when left out.

She and her sister, so different.

Misa, the fairy princess, while Saya, the perfect little soldier.

"Hey, onna! What color underwear you wearing?" A high voice called out. Saya kept her gaze centered on the ground. He wasn't talking to her, no, he was talking to some other girl. A girl, maybe, that wouldn't punch his face in and drag his body off somewhere so he could drown in his own blood.

"Onna! We're talkin to you! Why don't you stand up so we can se you better!" Saya twitched minutely. Then, lifting her face, she was met with the sight of two obviously drunk men, painted head to toe with the blush of sake.

"Oi." She said, keeping her face neutral. "What is the difference between a man and a catfish?" She asked with a stressed cheerful tone. The men looked to one another doubtfully, wondering if the woman before them was all there. Sure, she'd definitely caught their eye as they were heading to another bar. She was the picturesque of something exotic, the one thought, with her long legs crossed and her dark skin, she stood out amongst the other women along the building. The other immediately related her to a woman he'd seen a few years back that he'd had a yen for, when he'd began fishing. Still, the one on the right decided to answer.

"I don't know, what?"

Saya's smile morphed into a terrible grin.

"One is a bottom-feeding scum-sucker and the other is a fish." She growled, something dark enveloping her, making the men take a step back.

"Now, Sayuri-san. How are you ever going to pay back your debt if you scare away all your mone-Er, customers?" Hisoka sang forcefully, throwing a smile to the men. They laughed back, tensely.

With a shuddering sigh, Saya stood, attempting to display herself in the least threatening position. She placed a hand on a jutted out hip, and with a regal expression, she spoke to the men.

"Welcome to our loving embrace, masters. We have only a few rooms tonight," She told them in a faux-sex encrusted tone, "So only a limited chance to have wildly passionate sex with the most beautiful women around." She finished off with a wink.

Now, please, when you picture this, picture it right.

Saya was in no way pleased with what she'd just uttered. In fact, she didn't think she'd ever verbally used the word _sex_ before in her life. So, at the mention of it, she suppressed a vapid cringe at the lowness to which she had just stooped.

Yeah, she'd been a damn drunk bum for a while, but this was just…Not on her high morals list, exactly. She didn't have anything particular against prostitution, not that she encouraged it, but it was not, nor anywhere near, her line of work.

Of course, she wasn't actually doing the prostituting part, but she was damn sure by the steamy looks on the men's faces and the slight dab of drool on their lips, that they were definitely picturing her naked.

"You up for sale, pretty lady?" The one said haughtily.

Hell no.

"I'm sorry, but Sayuri-san is only a prop. But I promise you, you'll be more than pleased with the ladies inside." Hisoka beamed in a business-like manner.

After deliberation, the men followed Hisoka into the brothel, slipping Saya ryo as they walked by her with tasteless smiles. After they disappeared within the place, Saya dropped the stance with disgusted snarl.

"Damn animals." She hissed.

"All men are animals, dear." Susuki said ruefully, stepping next to Saya.

"Have I made enough, yet?" She whined with a fan of her hand.

"Surprisingly, you've made more than enough." Saya blinked.

"What?"

"I mean," Susuki continued, "The money you've made yourself is little to the actual amount you need, but the sales you've promoted have tallied up." She smiled. "The mistress will be pleased."

Something made Susuki's smile falter, if only a second. A grin had broken out on Saya's face, so completely childish and happy compared to her constant snark, that it surprised Susuki. But, she placed a small smile back in place before Saya noticed anything, and crossed her arms with a chuckle.

"Outta the way." A shove sent a woman sprawling into another as a man pushed his way to the porch. The yelp the woman shrieked caught both Saya and Susuki's attention, causing them to look over to the noise. They were met with the sight of a single, surly man chewing on a low cigarette. His eyes were hard, and contrasted with his rather pristine dress and handsome face. At least, it would have been handsome if he didn't look so terrible. He had a mean expression, and behind him stood a rather large group of men, all of whom were ruffed up and quite tough looking.

"And that," Susuki sighed, "Would be Hajii-sama."

**Okay.**

**I guess I used a lotta Japanese crap in this chapter.**

**So, translation time:**

***Hage basically means 'dick head', which is exactly what Saya called Kisame towards the beginning of this chapter.**

***You should all damn right know what 'yakuza' means. **

*** 'Buu-Buu' is the sound a pig makes in Japanese. So basically 'Oink-Oink'.**

**I think that's all I really used.**

**Hm. I guess I should confront my two terribly stupid mistakes. I realized, after much re-reading, that not only do I have terrible editing skillz, but also that I spelt 'Pein' as 'Pain'. Don't worry, I already slapped myself for it.**

**Oh, and another thing. In the last chapter, I referred to the monetary unit as 'yen', when we all know in the Narutard world, its all bout the 'ryo' (Sue me if the spelling is wrong). So, yeah. Just ignore that. It's definitely ryo, so if I accidentally say otherwise in the future, you definitely will know I'm a retard.**

**I know, once again, you really don't want to read all this, but I wanna say it:**

**You know how usually, when a new character is introduced, the next couple of chapters are used to explain or allude to that persons past and current issues that he or she is facing? Like in an arc? Yeah, well, that's what I'm doing here. The next few chapters will involve Saya's contract-binding with Akatsuki, then it will delve into her past for quite a few chapters after that. Then, finally, once I've had my fun, I'll get on with life and actually get to the main plot. **

**If you guys have any problems with that, please, do tell. Especially if I'm being too descriptive. I usually wouldn't care, but I'm a little annoyed with myself and I'd like some feedback.**

**Jolly good.**

**~Serb**

**P.S. I just realized today how amazing Serverus Snape is.**


	18. Ch 18: The Cat and the Fish

"_Jin."_

"_Sayuri-dono."_

"_Katsu-kun."_

"_Saya-chan."_

_The three friends stood in a circle among the tall grass that tickled their knee's. The grandfather oak tree stood firmly just beside them, the clunks and clatters of the wood chimes echoing along the salty air._

"_Okay, no matter what, once we make this promise then there's no going back. Got it?" Saya held out her palm. In her other hand, she held a jug of sake along with three small cups clinging to her fingers. _

"_Where did you get the booze?" Jin asked, raising a brow._

"_I swiped it from my fathers office. He won't notice its missing. He hardly ever drinks from it, anyways."_

"_Of course, Sayuri-dono." _

"_You're also not allowed to call me that anymore, Jin."_

_Jin's serious face broke into a cringe as he shuddered with protest._

"_But Sayuri-don-"_

"_Saya. Call me Saya." The look on her face made Jin pause, then lower his refusals into a momentary hush. She looked to Katsutoshi. "Got it, Katsu-kun?"_

"_But I already call you Saya, Saya-chan."_

"_You know what I mean."_

"_If you say so." He said with a smile. The boys held out their hands as she gave them each a cup, filling each as well as one for herself._

"_That's it then. Friends for life." The two boys grinned back at her._

"_Friends for life." They echoed together. Then, with three swigs, each downed the bit of alcohol they had, followed up by chokes and coughs from the unexpected bite it had to it._

…

…_..._

…_..._

"_Friends for life."_

_Saya lay languidly on the floor of a place she didn't know, nor did she care. _

_An empty bottle of sake rolled from her, across the dusty wood floor and stopped at the wall of what would be a hotel room. The tiny window just above the bottle filtered in an afternoon ray of sunshine, the particles in the air swirling in their spotlight as if dancing for an audience that, of course, was too busy being piss drunk to care._

_Her face harbored a listless expression as she rolled onto her back, draping an arm across her face. She snorted at the memory._

"_Friends for life my ass."_

…

…_._

…

"Get outta the way."

So.

This was Matsuko Hajii, Saya thought.

What a monkey.

He trudged his way past the ladies and the girl who yelped, nearing the entrance that stood just behind Saya and Susuki. As the man came upon them, his men following suit, he came to a stop just in front of Susuki. As if momentarily distracted, he gave Suzuki a look that left Saya pitying the poor woman.

"Move it, street-scum. I'm not in the mood to deal with your wile." He ordered her. Saya had to wonder for a moment, if only amoment. Okay, so this guy specifically reserved Hisoka for the night, along with some other girl who's too unimportant to mention. It's not as if Hisoka was a toad, but she wasn't any prettier than Susuki, and if anything, Susuki was more the woman that she was. It was in her figure, her stance, and the look in her eyes. Hisoka, while as previously mentioned not ugly, was pretty enough, but she exuded the air of a girl, and one that would wrestle to get what she wanted if she had the need.

So the question in her mind was: Did this guy have a fetish or something? A preference in women?

If that was the case, then he wasn't much of a womanizer, was he? Just, maybe, a pervert or something. Or maybe he actually had a thing for Hisoka?

Then again, he _did_ ask for that other girl. What was her name again? Bah, it didn't matter.

Still…

Saya eyed the man that Akatsuki was after, trying to characterize him just as she used to do with her prisoners back in her captain days.

Susuki, with a sly smile, moved to the side and gestured with her hands.

"Of course, right this way gentlemen."

The man didn't even give Saya a glance as he brushed past her, followed once again by his group of thug-looking men. As some of them went by, however, they gave Susuki predatory smiles and small jeers that would have had most women blush. But as it was, Susuki didn't even bat an eye as she waited for them to pass, then casting Saya a wink, she slid over to her in a step.

"I say we find a good place to watch the show. I'm sure this'll be good."

"No, it'll be over in seconds." Saya muttered.

"Seconds? That's impossible."

"No, it's not," Saya shrugged, "Uchiha probably already set up something that'll leave little collateral damage. I don't know the boy that well, but he doesn't seem the sort to like to make a big bang."

"Wait a moment." Susuki paused. "Did you just say Uchiha? As in, that prestigious clan that was just slaughtered in Konohagakure?" Saya wondered if this was a good thing, or a bad one. Of course a big trading city like this would get wind of something like that.

"What of it?" She asked, masking her caution.

"Horrible!" She gasped. Saya cringed, wondering if she would need to summon her chakra. She shouldn't let it get out who Itachi was, or more so, where he was. "Has he heard what'd happened to his clan? He must be devastated!" And with that, Saya's tensed shoulders relaxed and she chuckled. Right, of course, leave it to this woman to be ignorant to the fact that Itachi actually _was_ the murderer.

"I'm sure he's heard. Best not mention it." She said. "Might bring up unwanted memories. And we wouldn't want this to go around. It might bring him unwanted attention." Susuki nodded vigorously, an understanding frown marred her face. With a sigh, Saya turned to the entryway. "Got any food? I'm starved."

A few minutes later, Saya was in a back room at a dainty table, sitting in front of a bowl of some type of rice and pickled eggs. She wondered idly how old the eggs were, so pushing them aside, she finished the last of her bowl. Moments ago she heard shouts and loud bangs that indicated some sort of scuffle had began in one of the large rooms located around the bend. A few girls cried out in alarm and excitement as they skipped past the kitchen doorway, making Saya roll her eyes. With a heave, she stood from her food and walked over to the hall, loosening her obi by a fraction for extra mobility should she need it.

Another group of girls shrieked and ran by, leaving behind a clatter and another bang to resonate within the household.

_You know, I wonder how I thought this would be quick_, she mumbled in her thoughts. Resigned, she wandered down the way to where the sound was coming from, the shouts more defined and another noisy clank shaking the foundation.

"What the hell is he?"

"How the hell should I know!"

"That's Hoshigake Kisame, you dolt!"

"Why the fuck are there crows in here!"

"What are you talking about? What crows?"

"They're ravens, you fuck-wads."

"Who's that other guy with him?"

"Oi, what a headache." Saya rubbed her head. "What are they doing in there anyway?"

Sliding open the door just a bit, she peeked in and almost fell through the screening when a man was thrown into the space next to her. The room was littered with unconscious thugs, most limply holding some type of weapon, most of those weapons swords. Only four men remained, they stood in front of Matsuko Hajii bearing arms against a smirking Kisame and a taciturn Itachi. Most of the men actually seemed to be unharmed, merely put to sleep, most likely courtesy of the Uchiha, Saya thought.

"Stop attacking my men and just tell me what you bastards want already." Matsuko growled, his cigarette nestled behind his ear and hands fisted at his sides. Once again, his handsome face was marred by a scowl as he stared down the two Akatsuki members with annoyance and disgust. The four men before him gripped their assorted weapons in stance, awaiting their boss' orders and attempting to stifle their trembling and sweaty palms. Hisoka sat in a disarray in a corner of the room, glancing between her customer and the two men. Her eyes seemed troubled, as if she'd just been shaken from a dream that she'd mistaken for reality. It was the most off guard Saya had yet seen Hisoka look, and at that thought, she became worried.

Then she frowned.

What had made the girl look so shaken?

"You were originally wanted alive, but things have changed." Kisame said. "We want your head, Matsuko."

Matsuko snorted.

"Then come and take it, if you can, Blue Boy." The four men shifted uncomfortably as Kisame slid his feet wide apart and gripped Samehada's hilt, the sword still snug on his back. However, Itachi stepped forward, making Kisame halt and regard him as he approached the group.

In the next moment, the four men collapsed with groans, just as though something had knocked them out.

_Effective, Uchiha_, Saya smirked.

Matsuko looked between both Akatsuki, a look of calculation, then contemplation crossing his features. For a second, he looked a though he might try to run, but his scowl only deepened. He turned his attention to Hisoka as she watched Itachi come upon him.

"Close your eyes, Hisoka."

Saya watched as she hesitated before covering her face with her arms. Matsuko faced Itachi.

"I don't plan on dying."

"Things do not always go according to plan." Itachi made a hand sign, muttering the name of the jutsu. It looked like some sort of illusion technique, but in retaliation, Matsuko made a hand sign of his own, and dispelled whatever Itachi had attempted. Then, whirling through more, he barked a technique, sliding his sword out of its sheath. The blade glowed a molten orange, and without waiting for anymore attacks, Matsuko rushed Itachi with his blade at the ready.

But he couldn't make it far enough before Kisame appeared beside him, and with a flick, the mans head was severed from the shoulders, leaving only a headless corpse to thud against the floor.

The head followed shortly after.

Saya's smirk fell as she solemnly gazed at the scene before her, nostalgia sweeping over her and numbing her limbs. How many times before had she encountered assassinations like this one?

She quickly noticed Hisoka about to lower her shuddering arms. Appearing beside the woman, she held her limbs in place as she whispered softly into her ear.

"Don't look. There's nothing here worth seeing, Hisoka." She nodded unsteadily. Happy with her understanding, Saya looked up at her escorts and watched as Itachi collected a scroll, sealing the head within its confines and rolling it back up.

"We are done here." He stated.

"That was easy enough." Kisame popped his neck a bit.

"It didn't sound easy. You boys made quite the racket." Saya watched them, her face hard and apathetic as she circled the unconscious men littered about the floor. "I was talking with Susuki-san earlier. Matsuko's death will create a power vacuum."

"That's what our client wanted." Kisame replied. "The girlfriend bit was just an excuse to make a hit on him. He'll blame it on Matsuko for starting the conflict to justify his assassination. Why do you-"

"I hate this." Saya interceded. Itachi's eyes hardened as he observed Saya's demeanor change. It was very unlike her usual aloofness, and the reflection in her eyes seemed to give nothing of her thoughts away. Kisame, too, noticed the change, wondering what had gotten her so upset. Her lips quirked as she looked down at Matsuko's remaining body, her hands fisted, making little half-moon indents in her palms.

"What's up with you, onna?"

Saya leaned forward, her eyes shaded by the shift in posture. She dropped down to a squat, bringing her arms forward to softly press her palms against the mans chest. Her thoughts lingered over what she didn't know, what she could never know, and what she didn't want to know.

Matsuko, the monkey.

The man was gruff from what she gathered from her brief encounter, or absence thereof, and she had hardly seen him twice. Only had she heard his name but a mere few times, and mostly uttered with malice or annoyance.

_Matsuko._

_Matsuko._

_Matsuko._

"Matsuko Hajii." She murmured. She had helped kill him. She made it so, or at least, helped speed the process along. She had done worse in the past, and no doubt, will do just as terrible in the future. She had taken lives, just her underlings had done under her command. Just as her friends had done. Just as her father, and grandfather, and associates.

Even people she didn't know killed.

_Everyone's a murderer, _she thought sardonically. The killing just always carries on, and we accept it or go mad. We become accustomed to the loss and the guilt, and try to ignore the shame that we bring upon ourselves. Even if it was a bad guy. Even if it was a murderer, and he killed toddlers, women, and old men. We still feel the tar that smelts and sears our innards, leaving nothing but a pungent smell and aftertaste of remorse. Because, once we kill that person, it makes us just as bad as the murderer himself. One life is not better than another, so the end of his is just as terrible and wicked as his act of stealing innocent ones.

It makes us wish that someone would come along and take ours, just to rectify that injustice. But then the cycle never really ends, does it?

This is what makes us mad. So very, truly unhinged. The idea that the killing never stops, and that it can only go on and on, until everyone is gone and all our intentions to dust.

Saya trembled slightly.

_Sayuri-dono, it's not the killing itself that is so horrible. Yeah, it sucks and it's messy and sad. But what makes the killing bad or good are the reasons behind it._

A flash of Matsuko crossed behind her eyes. The softened look, if only minutely, as he ordered Hisoka to shield herself.

That man knew he was going to die.

"Gomen, Matsuko-san." She whispered. Standing back up, she made her way over to Hisoka, ignorant to the looks she was given, and led her to the hallway, making sure she didn't peek past her hands.

She looked back at Kisame and Itachi just before departing.

"I'll be back at the inn shortly." Her voice was husky and low, and with a strut, she left the room with a quivering Hisoka.

"She was crying, wasn't she?" Kisame mumbled, looking along the room and to Itachi. A pair of women, ones who had previously been in the room before fleeing when the fight commenced, poked their heads in and squealed at the sight of the corpse. An elderly lady with a fluttering voice ordered them with clipped tones to get their sisters and clean up the mess. Grumbled complaints followed after at the sight of the sleeping yakuza, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"Men!" She muttered.

"It would appear so." Itachi said back, quiet in the expanse of the chattering women arriving in the doorway.

"The woman is a walking bottle of emotions. One moment she's giddy, and the next she's tearing up. I don't understand it." Kisame followed Itachi towards the doorway, the women muffling their gasps as they moved and inched away from their path. The old woman, however, hunched and much shorter than anyone around, stood her ground just to the right of them. She glared imploringly up at them, her eyes embedded deep in her skull and her gnarled fingers folding as she regarded them.

"Anger." She said bluntly. Itachi responded by halting in his leave, watching her as Kisame stopped beside him.

"What was that?" Kisame asked.

"Anger." She repeated. "Not sadness. The girl that just left here, no? The one with cat eyes and plum hair and that smells of sea salt." The granny rambled as the girls behind her warily watched the men's reactions. "Tears of anger from her eyes."

"What was she so angry about, Gigi-obaa-san?" One girl asked, pushing her face forward and down, eager for the woman's reply.

"How should I know?" She cried back. "Get to work, you lazy brats! All you do is stand around!" Turning on the other girls, she shouted orders at them, leaving Itachi and Kisame to leave in relative peace.

"Do you know what she was so angry about, Itachi?"

They moved along the hallway, back towards the side exit of the brothel.

"No."

"Then why do I get the feeling that you do?" Kisame mumbled to himself.

…

…..

…..

Saya lead Hisoka into the back room, the gamble kanji striking as she passed through the doors. Her cheeks had dried steps ago, leaving only the taste of salt as a reminder of her previous thoughts. The smoky trails and wisps of spicy air wafted from the depths of the mistress' abode, her form outlined in the dimness that lurked beyond the screen.

"I'm not a baby!" Hisoka snapped, snatching her arm from Saya's grasp and rubbing her wrists once under the Chou's gaze. A knowing smirk quirked her lips as she addressed the pair with unwavering grace.

"I take it all went according to plan?" She bit the end of her pipe, crossing her ankles.

"Aye." Saya replied, her eyes still only reflective to the darkness they perused. Chou took note that the glassy fixture was an attempt to mask the emotions that ravaged her soul, and she thought with a smile how wonderfully pure the strange woman was, regardless of her deeds. What deeds indeed made her eyes so obscure when faced with the passing of a stranger, and what deeds she committed when that death led her to sorrow? Chou tilted her head.

"Hisoka dear, are you all right? You look quite shaken up. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, mistress. I just want to go to sleep." Her eyes were drawn as she pulled her gaze up from her hands. "It's been…a really long day."

"I can imagine."

Saya rolled her eyes towards Hisoka, a soft smile replacing her strained façade.

"Stay for tea anyways, Hisoka," Chou continued, " I have a friend coming to see me and I think it would be for your benefit if you met her." Hisoka gave her a mild glare before letting out a long sigh and sagging her shoulders.

"You better pay me over time"

"Dear, I don't pay you at all. You make your own money." Hisoka rolled her eyes, seemingly together and revived from her minor state of shock.

"Don't I know it." She strode over to the side of the tea table, pulling her legs beneath her and keeping her eyes downcast and away from Saya.

"Now then, I see you've made up your debt quite nicely, Sayuri-san." Saya watched quietly as Chou puffed out a stream of grey swirls. "I suppose I should release you from your bind, then."

"That would be nice." Saya languidly replied. "I'll just change and be out of your hair."

"Nonsense. If anything, you were quite the ornament to me. Are you so sure you would not like to take up house here?"

"Quite." She smirked. "I find the customers hardly bearable. I don't know how you do it."

"With patience." Chou chuckled. "And of course, wits. Not just anyone can work at a brothel."

There was a stretch of silence that was remarkably ominous as Saya pulled at the hem of her dress.

"I see Hisoka is not the only one shaken up." Saya quickly looked up and met Chou's eyes with defensive fire.

"Not shaken up." Saya corrected. "Just nostalgic. But it's a wasted attempt on my mind, and I'll be over it in no time."

"Of course."

More Silence.

"Dear, we do not all have the luxury to live without killing. Nor are we given second chances to rectify the deaths we wrought. Do take the time to recognize the moments you're given to salvage your sanity, otherwise you'll turn to rot." She winked at Saya's passive face. "Take it from an old goat, eh?"

"Old goat!" Saya laughed.

A gust of air temperament made Saya change her gaze towards the door, where Susuki glided in from and greeted Saya and then the others with a wide and bright smile.

"I missed it! I can't believe I missed it!" She sang happily. "But that's okay, because I've finally got what I've been hoping for!"

"Shh! You're too loud!" Hisoka scolded with a hiss.

"Oh? So then, when do you plan on leaving, dear?" Chou's figure shifted so she laid on her back, her eyes slid to the side as she waited for Susuki's reply.

"Leave?" Hisoka said with a trace of despair.

"Where do you plan on going, Susuki?' Saya turned with crossed arms. Chou noticed her eyes no longer reflected her surroundings, but rather flickered with a feline curiosity.

"Oh, wouldn't you know? As much as I love the city here and the women in it," She graced Hisoka with a look, "I've been dying to travel into fire country a bit! My cousin came in a few hours ago and offered me a job at her club in a village just near Konoha, can you believe it?" She hopped a bit with folded hands, stars swirling around her as her visions of her future swam through her mind.

"Why so far away?" Saya grinned, the joyful disposition catching.

"Why not? I've heard such great things about fire country villages, and this one is supposed to be even more livelier than Omashu. Imagine!" Saya internally laughed at Susuki, trying to cover her penitence with giddiness. However, a sigh brought her attention back over to the table, where Hisoka was staring at the ground with a lost expression.

"You okay, Kusekke-chan?" She raised her head sharply, scowling as she looked Saya in the eye for the first time since the fight.

"I'm fine! Good riddance! I'm tired of Susuki's loud voice, it always wakes me up in the mornings and keeps me up at night." She crossed her arms with a huff and turned to the woman in question.

"Aw, Hisa-chan, don't say things like that!" She cried.

"Hisoka doesn't really mean it, she's just embarrassed that she'll miss you is all." Saya chuckled. "I don't know her that well and even I can see it."

"Shut it. Why aren't you gone yet?" Hisoka grumbled, a blush staining her cheeks.

"You're right, you're right. I should get going." She waved away the women in the room, sliding on her heels back to the doorway, sans the girls that usually inhabited the room beyond. She looked back into he room. "It was fun, Kusekke-chan. But you should watch the temper." Hisoka's blush turned an angry red.

"You're going already?" Susuki looked at Saya questioningly, her lips twitching in what Saya found to be an amused smile. She hid it terribly.

"You knew she would leave once she paid her debt." Hisoka accused her. "Don't act so surprised."

"It was so much fun though!"

"Everything must come to an end." Chou avowed with a heated voice. "Sooner or later." She pointedly sent a look to Saya. "Make sure you remember that, Sayuri-san."

"I've learnt that lesson long ago, Mistress Chou." She tentatively placed her palm against the doors frame, turning away from the group.

"Not all endings are sad, Sayuri. Remember that, too."

Lingering only for a moment more, she slipped out the doorway without a sound, taking the hallway in gliding steps. As she made her way across the room littered with puzzles and cushions, a woman with strikingly fair hair emerged from the hallways darkness, a woman with short-cropped dark hair trailing behind her, clutching to what Saya found to be a small pig. They passed one another with little more than a glance, and once Saya was past her, she silently turned her head to the pair for an instant. The woman walked with obvious authority, and her long pig tails almost hid the kanji so blatantly stitched across the back of her robe. The kanji matched the one on the doors, the word 'gamble' crossing Saya's mind.

_Gamble, huh?_

She turned back around and walked a slower pace as she exited the brothel, her thoughts strewn and unfocused as she made her way back to the inn.

…..

…

…..

Saya returned the kimono to the inn keeper, asking him if he could give it to Hisoka when she returned. He agreed empathetically, telling her it was a shame she couldn't keep such a wonderful piece of art.

When she slid open the room door, both Hoshigake and the Uchiha were nowhere in sight. She assumed they had gone off to enjoy themselves, but the thought of the Uchiha doing anything enjoyable instantly quashed that picture. Instead, she guessed that they had gone for something to eat, and thanked Susuki gratefully for providing her with sustenance earlier.

She went to retrieve a futon, and rolled it out neatly near the balcony door. However, after minutes of tossing, she realized, aggravated, that she was wide awake. In fact, she felt stifling hot. So with a grunt of frustration, she threw off the covers and slid open the balcony door with a clack, closing it back behind her and situating herself on the wooden railing that surrounded the small space.

_Regrets are like shards of jagged glass that you try to gulp down in one swallow. They shred down your throat and get lodged in your esophagus, leaving only the smaller pieces to plop down into your stomach. And once they're there, they turn in your belly until it rips open, spilling the acid among all your organs, making them fester into infested flesh, and burning you whole. _Saya looked up to the sky with searching eyes, the stars hardly visible among the bright lights and tall buildings of village life. The moon was out of sight as well, leaving Saya with only a dark and unending sky, and upon her gaze, she felt as if it were so big that it could break her soul.

The chatter was still abundant below, but Saya's stare never wavered from its fixation, and she sat like that until she dozed off along the wall behind her.

…..

….

…..

"I hate crowds." Kisame grumbled irately. Itachi replied with silence, his lithe weaving through the throng of people followed by Kisame's steady but also stealthy pace.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." He said finally, glancing over at a young boy and his mother who were sitting next to a stand filled with candies. The boy had messy black hair, his eyes shining up at his doting mother who chuckled at his liveliness towards his treat.

"It's almost the summer solstice, isn't it?" Kisame shrugged past a group of men, whom upon his presence, they shrunk away from with restricted gazes of wonder and hesitance. "The onna's deal with Leader will have to be completed." One man bumped into Kisame with a heavy bounce, and began to glare up at him with a cuss already upon his lips. But one look at Kisame's height and scowl made him think twice, and with a mumbled apology, slithered away silently.

"The King of Hell Summon." Itachi murmured.

"Whatever the hell _that_ is." They were approaching the inn, the clusters of lights sending pale orange and red colors down on them. Upon seeing the darkened lights just to the right of the building, between the brothel and inn where their veranda was, Kisame narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't look like she's in yet." He added. However, as they got closer, he was proven wrong at the sight of her form, slight against the wooden banister behind her and one languid leg hanging over the side. It seemed as though she was out cold, her face hanging to the side on her shoulder.

Kisame stopped just before the house, watching her chest rise and fall in the illumination of heated colors just below her. He paused by the look on her face, rather, that she could make such a face.

Eyes lightly closed, as if only shading her from reality with a fleeting dream, her lips parted only just, with the breath of someone enjoying a summer nap. Her hair was all over, but seemed to pillow her from the hard wall, and her limbs limp from a long day filled with worry and other things Kisame didn't bother imagining. "What an idiot, falling asleep like that."

He watched her for a while more before caught by the light emitted from within the inn as Itachi opened its doors. Then, with a frown, he followed in after him.

…..

…

….

They left the next morning, not long before the sun began to bleed colors all over the sky. It was a quiet dawn, filled only with the mere echo of the nights festivities like the aftertaste from a candy. Without so much as a glance over the shoulder, they exited the village and made their way through the start of the wilderness, the only path a dirty, bare road.

Stretching her back out, Saya winced as pops resounded along her spine, her neck stiff from her sleeping position. She groaned.

"It's your own fault for falling asleep like that." Kisame said, walking along side her. "Should have slept like a normal human rather than a cat."

"I'm not a cat." Saya drawled. "Not anymore than you're a fish." She smirked up to Kisame with stretched arms, a feline twinkle in her eyes.

"You're lucky. If Leader didn't want you, I would have lopped off your head a long time ago."

"Then I guess that makes us both lucky, because if you did that, I would haunt you for the rest of your life." Itachi strode behind the pair, his attention held by the tree's around them , as if looking for something.

Or someone.

"I don't believe in ghosts, onna. Or have you already forgotten our previous conversation?" He gave her a vicious smirk. "You were drunk, after all."

Looking unperturbed she answered, "I remember just fine, Hoshigake. However, it appears _you_ have forgotten that my name isn't _onna_."

The sun was now risen, the morning birds all but silent, and the early dew evaporated into the atmosphere. It was already hot out, even with the shade from the tree's, and the only relief from the burn was the casual breeze that swept through every so often.

"I remember. I remember I also told you that the day I address you by your given name is the day I actually give a damn what you think."

Saya only smiled at this, as if entertained by the banter, and chuckled along with a roll of her eyes.

"Speaking of thinking, how about a riddle, Hoshigake?" Kisame trained his eyes down to her, sizing her up to see if she was serious.

"Why would I want to play with riddles? They're children's games." He snorted.

"Oh, come on. Just a few, just to pass the time." She threw Itachi a glance over her shoulder. "You can play too, if you want." Itachi kept his eyes on the trees without reproach, which was just what she expected. Turning back around, she dropped her arms to her sides and slyly beamed back at Kisame. "You ready?"

"If you say so." He sighed. Taking that as confirmation, she began.

"When is a door not a door?" She asked, looking back ahead. Kisame went to reply, saying that he could care less, but as if he thought better of it, closed his lips and thought for a moment.

"When it's a-jar." He answered after a few seconds, his expression quite soft from his usual gruffness.

"Good. Now how about this? What's brown and sticky?" She rambled off. On this one, however, he answered instantly.

"A stick. And that ones stupid."

"Perhaps. It was very simple, and sometimes the simplest ones are the hardest. Next." She chirped. "Cut me and I weep tears as red as my flesh, yet my heart is made of stone. What am I?" It was a longer riddle, and the answer was simple, but so simple that it could be easily overlooked. So Kisame thought for a lengthy time, until after they passed a stump covered in moss and weed-like flowers. Flesh, that could be anything. _No, not anything, _he thought. Fruit? And a stone could be a pit?

"A cherry." He finally retorted. Saya couldn't withhold her excitement. She was surprised he was so good at these puzzles that most people she'd told them to hardly ever understood. She quickly rattled her brain for a riddle that would stump him, flicking through all her categorized memories until she stopped at one that made her grin widen, albeit with a wicked tone.

"Okay, try this one on for size." She sang. " Alive without breath, As cold as death;Never thirsty, ever drinking, All in mail never clinking." She waited in hearty silence, wondering is he would actually respond if he figured it out.

"I don't know."

She looked up to him from her forward gaze, a very fiendish expression on her face, almost fey-like. She clucked her tongue and leaned forward to answer.

"A fish."

…..

…..

…

"Yin-chan! Yin-chan! Master has a plan! He's sent us note of how to dote, and win as Saya's hand!" Fuu twirled in utter ecstasy, gripping a crumpled letter between both fists. A messenger bat hovered in the air beside her, awaiting her reply patiently as Yin stared at Fuu with a dulled icy look.

"He plans on baiting her with the jinchuuriki." She stated tonelessly. Fuu froze in her dance, gaping at her shorter companion in awe.

"Yin-chan! How did you know?" She exclaimed. However, the cold girl started walking along their path once more, leaving Fuu scrambling to write a response behind her before shoving it at the bat and running off after her.

"We will confront her in less than a week." She stated.

"Oh! It sounds like so much fun! I'm quaking with joy!" She shouted. "The sun is out! The day is bright! The wind smells of sweetness! We're off to see Saya-nee-chan! Can things get much better than this?"

"No. It will only get worse."

The bat flew off ahead of the girls, flittering like a black wisp of smoke, the white of the letter attached to its back. It swiveled along the wind until all that was left was a black freckle in the sky.

**I appreciate all the reviews I'm getting, and I love the feedback as well. It really helps me establish how the characters should react with one another, and without it, I would be lost.**

**So thank you everyone for your time. **

**Anyway, I would just like to take a moment here and STAB KISHIMOTO for basically ruining my plot (Insert mega sigh). I suppose it **_**was**_** HIM who created Naruto in the first place, so I'll spare him.**

**For now. **

**I'll have to adjust the King of Hell summon background now, and apply it to Madara's plotting. **

**Bleh.**

**If I fail at this, don't hold it against me. My creativity has its limits. Oh, and kudos to the person who guesses who the blond chick is: **

**Please review. It helps. **

**~Serb**


	19. Ch 19: There's a Pain in My Sawdust

"_Katsu-kun." _

_Saya sat with dull eyes, her bottom firmly planted on a gnarled root of the wood chime tree. Katsutoshi sat with a paper and pen not too far off, his hand scribbling away at the parchment with a speed Saya could only surmise as 'really, really fast'. _

"_You're writing really, really fast." Her voice was low against the breeze, but it rolled along to Katsu's ears and he could only smile with a sort of arrogant quirk as he paused for a moment to look back at her._

"_Jealous, Saya-chan?"_

"_Not in the least," Saya strummed. "I have no interest in calligraphy. At all." She paused in thought and cupped her chin. "But you know, Misa would be impressed. She has a sort of fancy for stuff like that." _

_Katsutoshi seemed to repress a wide smile as he turned back to his writing. _

"_Oh? I didn't know."_

"_Of course you knew! That's why you took it up to start with!" She said heatedly. His smile flickered out, an annoyed twitch flipping the meaning behind the smile. _

_Saya-chan was much too smart sometimes. _

"_If you say so, Saya-chan. My parents are the ones who suggested it." He replied easily. "But with Misa-dono as the subject, I was wondering whether or not she would still have her usual birthday party this year?" His inquisitive tone made Saya cackle, the sound echoing between the air and sky. _

"_Of course she'll have it, she's Misa after all." She laughed back. "Oh, but I would be careful if I were you."_

"_Oh? Why's that?" His hand continued to glide along the surface of the paper. Saya hesitated for a moment, before delicately continuing._

"_I'm not privy to pry into my sisters affairs. Actually, I prefer to avoid it at all costs. But from the looks of things, her guy friend may not appreciate your sentiments towards her." Saya folded her hands behind he head, eyeing Katsutoshi objectively. Her eyes caught the movement of his right hand, which twitched involuntarily, his fingers gripping the brush firmly. The twitch receded, though, and Katsutoshi's face revealed nothing._

"_Ah, yes. She has a friend, does she?" He smiled. "That's nice." He turned back to his work and continued drawing. Saya kept her eyes on him before looking up to the tree limbs above her._

_Yes, Katsu-kun, she thought. She does have a new friend. _

_But you knew that, too. _

_

* * *

_

**Sometimes a little doll would cry. She's got a sawdust pain, she has. Oh, what the menagerie peonies would say if they could but glimpse her sorrow. The pain will grow and rip her open, the sawdust will spill out. And the seamstress will laugh at the dolly's misfortune, for the doll-maker was much too cheap to fix a doll that not one child wanted. **

'**Oh,' the dolly sighed, 'it is more than likely I shall break for good. I should bother the doll-maker in spite, and perhaps enjoy the life I have whilst I have it'. So despite the doll-makers warnings he gave her when she had been made that she should not talk nor move about the customers, the dolly sang a song of her life as a doll, her loneliness, and her grief. **

**Her voice carried over the shelves, past the glass of the shop, out into the street, and spilled over the lofts and apartments. A poet with still hands heard her song, the sadness of her woes, and inspired, his hand swept over his paper and recounted the dolly's song. The poem was so popular amongst its readers that it sold thousands, and those thousands loved the poem so much, that they sang the song to their children, who sang it to their children, and so on. **

**However, the tune they sang was merrier than that of the doll's eulogy, and therefore was interpreted as a happy tale rather than a sad one. So even when all that was left of the dolly was a pile of sawdust and stitches, the seamstress still laughed, for the dolly, misunderstood by no one in life, would continue to be misunderstood, by everyone, in death.**

**

* * *

**

"You know, somehow, I never imagined I would be doing this when I used to dream about my future…" Saya held a brush in one hand, her face streaked with maroon paint. Her nose, right cheek, and forehead were decorated, along with her hands and clothes. She was without her haori, which she left in her room in fear of ruining it with her project. "Then again, my father would turn in his grave if he even dreamed of what I'm doing right now."

"And just what is it that you're doing?"

Saya looked back and saw that the boy that introduced himself as Sho approach, his hands lightly placed on his hips. He appeared from the darkness that lingered in the air of the main cave, where she had met Akatsuki. Which, of course, was where they were. Her nose wiggled as a slice of her hair tickled the tip, her eyes crossed as she focused on where it bothered her. Locating it, she blew it away and then readdressed Sho.

"Ah, ohayo. What brings you here?" She smiled.

"Don't act so familiar, bakka. Now answer my question." He stopped a few feet away from her, jutting his hip out with one manicured nail abreast.

"Ne, you shouldn't stick your nose so far up in the air, gaki, otherwise something might fly up it." She advised solemnly, turning back around to her work. She dipped her brush into the jar of paint, paint that was a mix of herbs and remedies she'd whipped up earlier in the day after asking Itachi for the ingredients. Instead of helping her directly, he'd pointed her in the direction of some other member, one by the name of Sasori. After tracking the man down, she realized that this was the man who'd looked more like a boy, and was also paired with the infamous Sho. At first he regarded her as one would regard a horsefly: with annoyance and ignorance. But after some time, she finally got him to acknowledge her.

She had wondered why the Uchiha had recommended the red-head for her remedy retrieval, but after she listed the items she needed, she found that he was in possession of all of them. It was strange that the man should have lead-based paint, root-hair, among other things….Even stranger that he had the helping of man's hair that she had needed as well. That thought would keep her up at night.

She had painted along the walls and floor of the cave, swirling signs and insignia's lining her designs into one large system of circles within shapes within circles. As Sho surveyed her work, he scowled and faced her back.

"Hmph." He strode over to the boulder on his right, perching on it while inspecting his toe nails. He waited a moment before cupping his chin and staring at Saya. "What's with all the paint?" She continued her swirling motions, not bothering to look up at him.

"You know, I was buried alive once." She said cheerfully. "It was a long time ago now, but I still think it was one of the scariest things I've ever faced." She bit her tongue in concentration as she leaned in to the circle. Sho raised a brow, an incredulous expression on his face.

"I don't believe you, and by the way, changing a subject like that is rude." He huffed.

"Oh, it's true. I was leading an assassination with a small squadron…" She paused in curious thought, "Actually, it wasn't too far away from here." She shrugged. "Anyway, we were after a yakuza head, and unfortunately for us, our lead had went sour, and our position was compromised. My men were killed in battle, but I was taken hostage." She twirled the brush in her fingertips. "Their leader decided that just killing me wasn't enough. Instead, they bound my wrists and ankles with chakra sealing properties, threw me into a wooden box, hammered it shut, and buried me deep enough that I could feel a little heat from Hell." She smiled up at him.

"Fine then. Let's pretend what your saying is true. Tell me, how did you get out?"

"Ah, now that's the question, isn't it?" She chuckled. "Yes, just how did I get out?" Dotting a space, she stood from her symbol. "You may not believe it, but I had one hell of a knack for breaking things. Whenever I was angry, I had a tendency to throw vases and punch holes into walls. So, that's what I did."

Sho blinked.

"You…threw a vase?"

"No, bakka, I punched a hole into a wall, or rather, into the ceiling of the casket."

"So you're telling me you dug your way out?"

"Precisely."

Sho sat and watched her for a few moments before narrowing his eyes.

"What a load of crap."

"Believe what you want," She said, "You know, it actually made really good training. And the looks on the yakuza's faces was well worth the effort." Her smirk was so self-satisfied, Sho decided that she was telling the truth. None the less, as he gazed upon her, he figured he hated her.

"Why are you here?" Saya finished up her jar and screwed it shut, fingering the excess that dripped over the side.

"I'm preparing for the summoning contract."

Sho shook his head.

"No, stupid, I mean why are you _here_? Why are you here with Akatsuki, instead of leading your so-called correction unit?" He wrung his hands and spread them before his shoulders. "So much authority, so much power! You could be doing so many…so many _awe-inspiring_ things right now." He looked her in the eyes with cold contempt. "But you are here. Doing nothing."

"I'd like to think I'm doing something." She frowned. "Otherwise, if I wasn't doing anything, then that'd probably mean I was dead." She took her brush and painted her hand with it, making sure to get all the creases and edges.

"No." He replied heatedly. "You may as well be, though. You threw away all that potential! For what?" He stood on the rock. "To work for a band of criminals? To make a deal in order to save your neck?" He spat. "Disgusting."

Saya looked over at where his wad of phlegm had landed and gave a mild look of distaste.

"No, _that's_ disgusting."

"And you're a fool!" He shouted. "You have not once considered your situation seriously!"

"Life is too serious all on its own, gaki . It's best to laugh now and then and make the best of it." She said lightly. Then, pressing her hand firmly against the center of her final circle, she smiled and stood to face Sho. "I wonder, just who pissed you off enough to make you want revenge?"

"Who ever said anything about revenge?" He snapped.

"Honey, I can smell it from a mile away, and you absolutely reek of retribution. Take it from a professional, and learn to let it go. Believe me when I say it'll make your life a whole lot brighter." She winked and took off in the opposite direction, jar and brush in hand.

"You don't know a damn thing!" He yelled back. With a clenched fist, he sat back down and glared at her retreating form. "You don't know a damn thing about revenge."

He whispered the last part to himself, but Saya had heard it just fine. She too murmured to herself in return.

"Oh, I know a bit about it. Maybe, I think, a bit more than you can imagine."

"Oh, and Sho?" She called out once more. She heard him mutter something to her back.

"What?"

"Do you have a mirror?" She asked, coating her tone with a thick glaze of indifference. She waited a moment as she heard him struggling to answer.

"Yeah, why?" She threw him a grin as she turned out of the room and down a corridor.

"Bring it."

Her bare feet felt chilled against the floor of the underground base, particularly with paint spackled on them. But a humid warmth pulsated just beneath her, somewhere in the heart of the roots and soil something primal lived and gave her a push to move towards a pair of doors that she'd much rather obviate. After her and her keepers had returned to the base, they had been greeted yet again by the Akatsuki leader. It wasn't all that unpleasant, the man was hardly rude…It was just, Saya was reminded of her father when she talked to him. It was the condescending tone he held, the air of authority he exuded, the power that radiated off of him like a red mist.

She got a better look at him in the dim light when he addressed her, and she found he had quite the surprising appearance: Piercing's all over, orange hair, entrancing eyes. Saya would never admit it, but she actually found him intimidating.

And also a little handsome.

She coughed at that thought with a gurgled chuckle and skipped a bit to continue along her path. The solstice was tonight, and it was already dusk outside according to Sho's entrance. He wasn't supposed to return from his trip to a near-by village until sunset, and if it was actually just beginning to darken outside, then she still had time to spare before midnight. The leader, who she learned was known as Pein, had ordered her to prepare for the summoning contract that she had promised them she'd perform.

The halls, she decided, were bare but very welcoming. The air, while somewhat stifling, was nicely temperate, and the glowing roots always caught her fancy. They sort of made her feel like she was in a fairytale, albeit with a really fucked up plot.

Tapping her chin with the brush, she conceded that fairytales were also really screwed up, if not completely inane. In fact, now that she considered it, her story was much livable than that of prince charming's. Yeah, she'd settle for her own, after all, it could be a lot worse.

She could have to kiss a frog.

_Actually, that's really not so bad. Especially if the damned thing turned into a gorgeous man. No, scratch that. I would much rather settle for a pile of ryo….Or Hoshigake's dignity on a gold platter, mine for the ruining. _She snickered at the notion, completely unaware that she was about to bump into someone.

A gruff snort drew her out of her thoughts as she swiveled to her left and took a step back, looking up to find it was…

_Well speak of the devil…_She thought sardonically.

"Watch where yer going Hoshigake, otherwise you might run into something you can't run out of." Saya quipped, looking up at Kisame with a smirk. His temper simmered and prompted him to snap back at her, however, when he fully realized Saya's appearance, he couldn't help but shake with laughter.

"What's so funny?" She frowned, looking around her like she'd spot whatever it was he was laughing at.

"Y-Your face!" He roared. "You look completely ridiculous!" She frowned and touched her chin with one finger, realizing that she'd marred her face more when she had tapped her chin with the wet brush.

"Your face always looks ridiculous, but I never laugh at _you._" She sighed. Kisame no longer wore his cloak, but just his arm warmers and a simple black and grey outfit. His hulking form mitigated her own in comparison, but her height rivaled his. She noticed that he wore a head band that wrapped around the back of his skull rather than just a forehead protector, and for the first time, she wondered what his life before Akatsuki had been like.

He sobered up and regarded her steadily.

"You done with your paint stuff?" He asked, referring to her occupied hands.

"Yeah, now all I have to do is combine ten different chakra signatures to summon a nasty son of a bitch and persuade him to contract with you guys so long as I act as a medium for the flowing chakra pulses between here and the damned thing's dimension." She blew another strand of hair from her face and looked back to him. "Piece of cake."

"You know, it's sarcastic comments like that that get you into trouble." He commented. "What is it that we're summoning?"

"To put it simply?" She asked. "I guess you could call it a demon. It's more of an amassed spirit, but the scroll I read confirmed it as a Demon Summon." Saya shifted her weight. "This is so stupid…If I'd known what reading that scroll would entitle me to, I never would have…" She trailed off. Kisame frowned as he inspected her expression. He didn't like it, the frown. It was weird on her face, almost like a scar that made her terribly ugly.

"What are you going on about now, onna?"

"You know how a lot of great shinobi are accounted for simply because of their mental capacity?" She asked, looking deep into his chest and not meeting his eyes. "What nobody realizes is how having an intellectual ability can be a curse."

"I didn't know you were some sort of genius." Sarcasm dripped heavily from his tongue.

"I'm not a genius." She said gruffly, "But that doesn't mean I'm an idiot." Looking at her jar, she struggled to explain herself. "I…Well, I sort of can remember the stuff I read."

"Yeah, so does everyone else. What's you point?"

"That's not what I mean." Annoyed, she looked up to his face. "The things I read, I never forget them. And I remember them word for word, exactly as they are." She sighed. Kisame rubbed his chin and mulled over what she said.

"You mean sort of like an eidetic memory?" He watched her face as she shrugged. Her nose was a splotch of purple, and her chin was covered by painted goatee. He followed a trace of paint to her eyes, and found them to be much deeper than he'd originally considered.

"Whatever," She said absentmindedly, "I never knew what to call it. I thought I could take advantage of it, though. I thought I was being resourceful. Memorizing all those scrolls in my family's library." He noted that she seemed to be talking to herself now rather than him. "I thought that if I knew the contents of everything in there, then maybe I could become a better leader. If I knew those summons and jutsu's, then maybe I could use them to bring my family's charge to a new level, a higher one." She shook her head and gave him an ill-humored smirk. "I was so stupid. Sure, for a while it was great. For a while, I could do things that weren't just average. But then I had to go and fuck up my chakra system, and now all I have are those words in my mind."

"Just like a book." She mused. "A book for Akatsuki to use now, it seems."

"Because you can't use your chakra?" He asked. She silently nodded, then, taking a step beside him, her smirk softened.

"Forget it, Hoshigake. Just thinking out loud." She patted his shoulder. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately." With that she brushed past him and continued down the hallway before taking a right and disappearing from Kisame's sight. He watched her leave with a thoughtful look.

"A photographic memory, huh?"

A few hours later Saya stood outside of the main cave, where she had decorated it's innards with her solution. Any moment now those same men would saunter in and take a place among her circles. Deciding to make sure all was okay, she took her feet and dragged herself from the glowing hall.

After she informed the oh-so mysterious leader that all was ready, she sided on cleaning herself up before anyone else saw her self-inflicted embarrassment.

Wiping up, she returned to her room and sat until she knew it was time. Really, Saya sat just to gather her wits. She had no idea how she was going to sweet-talk this spirit into binding himself to Akatsuki's will. He was sure to be old, because the scroll she had gathered the summoning ritual from was, in itself, quite ancient. She idly wondered why its original owner decided to hand over the collection of demon-related techniques to her family in particular. Not that it really mattered, but if it had anything to do with the fact that her sire's had distant connections with the creators of the jinchūriki seals, then maybe fate really did play a part in her life. A decedent of allies to the guards of the tailed beasts helping an organization intent on using them, probably to create mass destruction and war.

Oh yes, she was reserved a one-way ticket to Hell. Just add that on top of sloth and wrath, and heck, maybe she'd even get to meet the devil himself.

_Hey, maybe this demon is a close cousin. At least if I get on his good side, I might be able to lessen my repentance to a bearable degree,_ she thought wryly. Scratching her head, she strolled into the cave with a heavy groan and peeked about the painted mural she had accomplished.

Compared to the usual summoning seal's she'd dealt with in the past, these figures were quite daunting. A foreboding aura seemed to permeate from the foreign symbols and signs along the walls and floor, stretching into a complicated system of circles and prehistoric kanji. It was like an alien language among pie charts, decorated with blotches of thick, still tacky paint. There were four large circles at each direction on the walls: North, East, South, and West, each filled with swirls and strange figures to create an elegant scripted picture.

Each of these targets bled down to form rivers along the floor that spiraled into a diagram. There were ten smaller circles, big enough for one person to stand in each, and they edged along one main ring that, too, was filled with eddies of ciphers. It had taken her a complete 27 hours to complete this seal, but even without any current sleep, her veins were thrumming with a type of excitement that, ironically, left her lethargic. Weariness replaced anticipation, and really, Saya just wanted to haul her carcass back into her dwelling and sleep for a couple of years.

"What the fuck is this?" Saya looked over her shoulder to meet eyes with the silver-haired shinobi.

"It's a beautiful piece of art that you should appreciate." She had meant to sound sarcastic and brooding, but because her throat was so dry, it came as more of a gurgled cry.

"Hardly art." Another voice murmured, one she identified as Sasori. "It probably washes off with water."

"Who cares? Let's just get this shit over and done with." Saya ignored them as new voices joined in further behind. The flickering flames along the torches eerily shaped shadows reminding Saya of giggling monsters and crying children, and as someone passed by her, she couldn't refrain from flinching.

Something stole into her that she hadn't felt since that morning so long ago. It was a shivering little thing that had crawled under her skin, maybe from one of the shadows that skulked about. But instead of remaining just beneath the membrane, it burrowed deeper, and planted itself right beneath her lungs and just above her stomach. Her breaths were restricted now, and that creature seemed to vibrate, jumbling her insides and causing her toes and fingers to twitch. Her heart hammered deeper and deeper into her chest, creating an imprint on the inside of her back, just beside her spine.

That's when she felt it trickled down.

Blood.

It was bubbling out from some hole where her heart throbbed- No. Now it was pouring down, buckets of it. Her top was soaked, and her legs were sticky. It was a stream of gore just gushing into a puddle around her, flooding the cave, filling it and leaving her to drown at the bottom of a red sea.

She panicked.

Clawing at the syrup-like juice, she tried to swim to the surface that seemed to be so far away. There was a darkness enclosing at the edges of her vision, her oxygen slipping away as her lungs constricted into hardened rocks of flesh.

She couldn't breathe.

She couldn't breathe.

She needed air.

Air…

Air…

Air…

Air!

No!

Why couldn't she move? Why was she frozen to the ground? How? Why! She had to do something, anything!

A panic swallowed her whole.

There was no more time…She was stuck…She couldn't get out….

**She could not get out.**

"Hey."

A hand on her shoulder whipped Saya from her nightmare, and she couldn't restrict a deep inhale of air. Her limbs were stiff and the muscles in her neck were so tight that she could hardly turn her face to see Hoshigake looking at her from her right.

It was a daydream.

Was that it?

Her throat seemed ragged as she coughed in an exhale, her eyes watering only slightly.

The tears blurred her vision, and the world seemed quiet for a few seconds, except for the rushing of blood in her ears.

"Huh?" She choked out, brushing off the side effects of her vision.

"You've been standing here for five minutes, staring into space." He frowned. "You haven't gone completely brain dead, have you?"

"Hardly," she replied sourly, "I was just in deep thought is all." As her vision cleared, she realized that eight men were now in the room with her, impatiently waiting for her to snap out of her daze. She shrugged off Kisame's hand and listened to a pop as the Akatsuki leader appeared at the far end of the room, accompanied by the same woman as before. They were no longer concealed in the darkness as they stepped forward, looking ominous in the twilight room. Kisame walked away to join Itachi, who was standing near the central circle on the floor.

"Imatsura, you are ready to proceed?" Saya heard the deep chords of Pein's voice, wondering if she'd ever heard such a powerful tone.

"Of course." She said coldly. She swept her gaze over the rooms inhabitants. "If you'd each please step into one of the circles." Each circle an Akatsuki member approached had a different kanji. She watched as Sasori casually walked over to the one that had "jewel", as Sho sucked his teeth in an all-too familiar gesture and followed his partner into the one with "blue". The man with silver hair, Hidan, stood inside "three", beside the man with stitched arms who had "north", and beside him a very strange creature appeared in "gai", the sign of the boar. He was split into dark and light, and a plant-like casing hid most of his face from Saya's inspection.

Pein and the woman, who looked at him imploringly, waltzed into two of their own positions, "zero" and "white", along with Itachi and then Kisame, "vermilion" and "south". They formed a circle around the large sphere, where Saya walked to with a professional apathy.

Before she proceeded any further, she turned and walked up to Sho, holding out a hand. She waited silently, her face flat as he stared at her hand as though it were a snake.

"What?" He snapped.

"You very well know what." She said in a still voice.

"Oi, what's the hold up?" Hidan snarled, an irritated glower making his features sharp.

"Tch, annoying woman." Sho muttered, retrieving from within his robes a small, simple mirror. It was double sided, and looked to be in a wood frame. Saya took it from his grasp and swung around.

"Domo arigato." She said with an easy voice. Sauntering to the middle of her rather giant disk, she stood languidly before straightening up to a stiff stance.

"How does this work?" The man with stitches and green eyes questioned. He narrowed his gaze at the floor and the markings. "This better not take long."

"It will take as long as it needs to." Pein answered, the reply more of a command than anything else. He stared piercingly at Saya as he waited for her to begin. "Start, Imatsura."

"Yep." She flattened her palms against the top and bottom of the mirror, closing her eyes. Saya began concentrating on what she was about to do, all the hand seals she would have to perform. It had been an extraordinarily long time since she had done a complex jutsu. Actually…

She had never performed one like this.

If Saya were to compare her previous techniques with this one, it would be like comparing a city to a country.

Or a puddle to an ocean.

She heard a foot shift just beyond the circle someone was standing in, and by the sound of the teeth-sucking, she assumed it was Sho. She peeked open one eye with a mild look of distaste as the culprit stared back at her.

"Don't step outta the circle." She said. "Otherwise none of this will work." She closed her eyes again and resumed her concentration.

"_What happens if we do?" _

"**Maybe we'll burst into flames." **

"_Doubtful."_

"**Or maybe **_**she**_** will."**

Saya recognized two separate voices with the same tone and depth, though, one was a tad malicious. It must have been the yin-yang man she'd just seen.

"If only it was that easy" She said with a sigh. "The only thing that will happen is nothing. The summon will not work, so please, do not step out of the circle until I say so." With that, Saya delved deep into her own subconscious, withdrawing what she'd need to know in order to execute the jutsu.

Seconds passed.

More seconds.

Minutes.

Five minutes….

Ten minutes…

"What the fuck is she doing?" Hidan screamed, looking between Saya and the Akatsuki members.

"My legs are falling asleep." Sho sighed, looking at his fingernails.

"You will not move." Sho looked at Pein and flicked some dirt from his nail.

"But she might've fallen asleep." He watched Saya as she stood still. She didn't even look like she was breathing. "Maybe I should throw my shoe at her." He continued. "Just to make sure."

"Just leave the onna alone." Kisame growled.

"Who died and made you king?" Sho snapped.

"Brat, don't test your luck. I have no qualms against killing kids."

"Whatever."

More time passed and Sho grew increasingly more impatient.

"Okay, if she doesn't do anything in the next minute, I'm-"

Saya's eyes flew open. But, they were not her eyes.

They were an iridescent blue, glowing as if they were stars of some kind. The mirror in her hands floated freely between her palms, spinning at a freighting speed as a gust of humid wind began whirling within the room.

Her hands quickly sped through a series of hand signs. The movements melded into one another, as though they were simply a blur of brown skin . As her pace continued, the markings surrounding the figures lit up with a cerulean glow, thrumming with a life force not their own.

Or was it?

Kisame felt a tugging sensation at the soles of his feet, and he quietly realized that his chakra was being absorbed by the technique the woman was performing. It didn't hurt, and it wasn't uncomfortable; rather, it made his feet feel as though little needles were puncturing them, and even tickling them into a giddy twitch. He mildly regarded his fellow members as they recognized what was happening, and that she was using their chakra to perform the technique. It was to be expected, especially since the woman couldn't use her own.

It was weird, though. As Kisame watched Saya complete hand sign after hand sign, he was surprised to find himself in awe of the raw energy emitting just from the electricity in her eyes.

Itachi activated his bloodline in order to follow Saya's hands, his face lined with taught lines as he inspected his surroundings.

"W-What the hell?" Sho stuttered as the lines about his feet lit up. "What's this?"

"_Interesting." _Zetsu said as he crossed his arms.

"**It's a crappy light show."**

"It'll be midnight in thirty seconds." Sasori stated softly.

But suddenly, a shredding sound echoed throughout the cave, catching Akatsuki's attention and urging few of them to look at where it came from. Saya stood just as stiffly as when she'd begun, her hands still spinning. But a tattered piece of her shirt fluttered away, and then just as suddenly, it was followed by another one. Then, a sharp gust of movement cut her just above her right eyebrow, followed by a trail of blood. More cuts tore at her clothes and hair, hacking away her hairpiece and leaving her tresses to fall to her shoulders. It was as if an invisible force was slicing her up from head to toe. Her expression was forced as she ground her teeth in effort, exerting her hands faster and faster.

Then, it all stopped.

The throbbing light dulled to a distant ebb, and the gusts receded to only a chilled quiet. The air was still warm, but something cool wafted between the muggy eddies, leaving something sinister to crawl about the room. Saya's expression returned neutral, and her fingers rested on one sign with her pinkies, index fingers, and thumbs held up in place.

"…Now what?" Sho asked irately.

The cave descended into an irritated silence, waiting to be curbed of anticipation.

But meanwhile….

"_Hello?" _

_Saya curiously looked around. The darkness that swallowed her in a gulp fell her to a strange place, devoid of any light she recognized. The sky above her was endless night, and a purple moon hung low near the horizon. It cast an ghostlike haze to light her surroundings, and because of it, Saya could intake where to go._

_But really, that didn't help her at all. Because, of course, she was completely lost._

_She went to take a step forward, but her foot was caught on something chipped. With a look, she narrowed her eyes at the sight of bones_

_Millions of them. _

_There was no ground, just human remains. No, it wasn't just that: There were thin skulls that she recognized as canine, and some smaller as rats. It was like a sea of charred bone, chalk dry and cracking beneath her steps. She was still barefoot, as she was in the cave, and the texture of her support made her wonder how old some of these skeletons were. _

_She shook her head and continued forward, ignoring the uneven footing. Bare tree's, similarly white as bone, hung jaggedly about her, and under scrutiny, Saya realized there was rotting flesh still attached to some branches._

_That was when she smelt it._

_Decay._

_Pure festering rot smoldered beneath her nostrils, clouding her senses. It was as noxious as tar, but arrayed with an infuse of layered odors. Saya felt the urge to vomit, but swallowed the lump in her throat and continued to walk in some direction. _

_I have no idea where I'm going, she thought. Where is this damn thing? Shouldn't he know I'm here? _

"_Or is he just too pompous to greet me even though I'm within his domain?"_

"_**Mortal, you have no room to talk. You're arrogance far exceeds my own."**_

_The voice tumbled Saya's heart into a frenzy. Before her, something quite large seemed to shift the bones into a landslide, making way for what she believed to be her target. Green eyes peered out at her, sharp pupils slicing through her soul. The figure rose and towered many heads over her, but she could not see it._

_It wasn't that it was hidden behind shadow or mist, but her sight just couldn't seem to focus on the thing no matter how hard she looked. All the demon was to her was a black mass of moving things._

"_Of course it does." She said carefully. "Otherwise how else would I be able to deal with things that are stronger than me?" _

_A profuse amount of rancid breath wafted into her face as the creature breathed out._

"_**What is it that you want, girl?" **_

_His voice was like a broken instrument. All at once there was a low and a high to it, and it made Saya want to claw at her skin._

"_Sir-"_

"_**Shi. You may refer to me as that and only that. If you should call me anything else, I will disembowel you and feast on your flesh." **_

_He said it so easily, as if he were discussing the weather. _

"_Shi." She continued, reigning in her fear. She shook off a shiver and looked the mass in the eye. "I have come to establish a contract between you and my beneficiaries. They wish to utilize your Demon Statue of the Outer Path." She fisted her hands at her sides._

"_**Oh?" **__He said humorously, __**"Too bad. Such a contract is impossible. Without a human with the-"**_

"_Rinnegan" Saya interrupted. "Yes, the leader of this group harbors the trait. He has done his research on you." _

"_**Has he now?" **__Saya waited patiently, attempting to even her breathing as the shadows pondered in silence. __**"Then what do I get in return, little human?" **_

"_What is it that you want?" She asked warily. He chuckled deeply in response._

"_**What a foolish thing to ask." **_

"_I suppose it is, but it was all I could ask without sounding petty." She said in an offhand tone. _

"_**Amusing, but I do not think there is anything I want that a human like you could give me." **_

_Saya pinched her chin with her fingers, thinking hard on what she could offer him. What did a demon want anyway? They had immortality, power, and with either they could attain anything. She looked down at her feet and regarded the bones._

"_What if I promise the souls of my beneficiaries to you?" She asked solemnly. "They're murderers with little remorse, a delicious treat, no?" His chuckle this time was distorted, and very gurgled against the putrid air._

"_**I do not feed on things of habit. They taste of stone and grass compared to that which I prefer." **_

"_And what is it that you prefer?"_

_She watched as a wicked grin formed among the darkness._

_

* * *

_

"I still think I should throw a shoe at her."

Sho tapped his foot at the silence that answered him.

"Or maybe a kunai?"

"Shut the fuck up, you pansy-ass." Hidan spat at the boy, but he was just as irritable.

"Itachi-san," Kisame asked, "Do you see anything?"

"Nothing."

"Should it be taking this long?"

"I don't know."

Kisame shifted a bit and glanced over to Saya. Itachi restrained a smirk, but Kisame could still hear it in his voice.

"Worried?"

"Hardly." He scoffed. "I haven't eaten dinner and I'm getting hungry."

"Of course."

Just as Itachi's words left his mouth, the blue encasing Saya's eyes faded out, leaving her usual amber orbs. She blinked, and then smiled. But the smile, Kisame thought, wasn't a satisfied one, nor was it happy. It was a grim, and very scared smile. The mirror stopped spinning, floated in the air for another second, and then fell to the ground with a clack.

"It's about damn time."

"Oi, woman, that better have not broke!" Sho exclaimed. He went to move but she motioned for him to stop.

"It's not done yet." She said in a tight voice. She sent her stare back at Pein, and it was such a sickening stare that the purple-haired woman shifted closer, as if to shield him from the gaze.

"I sure hope you plan to use this fruitfully." Her husky voice deepened below its usual pitch. "'Cause this is gonna hurt like a bitch."

Kisame raised a brow at her words, but following them, the pulsating blue paint bled a radiant crimson. It burned with a brighter light than the blue, and held steadily without flicker. The floor followed it and stopped at Saya's feet.

Saya bent forward and placed her hands flat on the ground. She filched as they seemed to stick to the ground with a magnetic force, locking her to the floor. The signs traveled towards her slowly, until they reached her hands, where they burned upwards to her shoulders. Their speed doubled, then tripled as the plethora of kanji raced along the floor to her body.

She threw her head back, biting her lip till it bled, trying not to scream. Steam curled off her limbs and back, more her back than anything. The scent of cooked flesh rose in the air, and the material on the back of her shirt singed.

Tears strolled down her cheeks in heavy blobs, and she twisted so far back that Sho though her spine would break. He watched her in awed silence, not wanting to admit to himself that he pitied her for whatever it was that was happening to her.

Kisame's eyes narrowed, just as Itachi's had, followed by Pein's and then who we all know to be Konan's. Their gazes traveled from Saya, down to their hands as rings materialized onto their fingers. They each had a different kanji on them, one that reflected the one they had been standing on. Sho twisted his hand to inspect the ring, wondering what it was made of: Glass or onyx?

Saya gasped.

Something was being burned into her back, and by the looks of things, it was the seal itself. It quickly disappeared onto her skin, until the last of it transferred and her hands were released. Steam continued to wave off her back and the excruciating pain left Saya numb to all but the embrace of sleep as she passed out and fell to the floor. But just before her eyes fluttered completely shut she couldn't help but comment.

"You can move now." It was a tired but humored response, and she crumpled at the end.

"Oi, onna!" Sho approached her slowly, taking a moment to retrieve his mirror before kneeling beside her.

"We done here?"

"I sure the fuck hope so."

"You may leave." Pein replied, eyeing Kakuzu and Hidan.

"_Then I am leaving as well."_

"_**We have work to do."**_ Zetsu retreated from the light and into the shadows. Itachi walked a bit towards Sho and Saya, letting Kisame pass him as he stopped just before the pair on the floor.

"She's not dead, is she?" Sho asked.

"Of course not, brat. She just needs some sleep." Kisame reached down and threw Saya over his shoulder.

"We'll report to you in the morning." Itachi told Pein.

"Very well. Bring her with you when you come."

"She can't sleep?" Kisame turned to his leader.

"She can sleep when she's dead." Then, both him and Konan were gone.

"Come, Sho. We have a mission." Sasori took his leave, Sho not far behind.

"Tell the woman she owes me a new mirror, this one's chipped!"

As the two disappeared, Kisame turned then to Itachi.

"That boy should have been born a woman." He said wryly.

"And you should have been born a fish?" Itachi and Kisame looked down to Saya's face, her eyes just barely opened. There were deep lines etched beneath her eyes, dark and giving her a sickly appearance. Her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes were a wreck.

"I thought you were asleep, onna."

"And I've come to realize your thoughts are often wrong, especially when they're trained on me." She replied tiredly. Then realizing where her head was, "You better not fart, snaggle-tooth, or I'm gonna punch you in the ear."

"Such a crude woman."

"Such a troublesome fish."

Kisame grinned and began making his way to her current sleeping quarters.

"You'll have to tell me what happened." He told her.

"I could not see it." Itachi said in an almost whisper, walking behind them. Then, he skulked down another hallway to his room.

"He's sulking, isn't he?" She chuckled dryly. She was completely numb from her dealings, so her limbs flopped of their own accord as Hoshigake carried her away. They swayed to the rhythm of his steps, which, she noticed, were wide and sturdy. She hated that she was at his mercy, but surprisingly, he was being quite amiable.

"Yes, he is. He doesn't like not knowing." Saya rolled her eyes before succumbing to the darkness that still treaded on her sight.

"He would like knowing even less."

**You know what? This whole story, the plot and the characters, originated from this single scene. About 14 months ago, I was listening to this song. The song was really fast paced, and I was running a 5k by myself, so I was bored. While I listened, I sort of thought up a single scene, and that scene had a woman, surrounded by Akatsuki, performing some sort of ritual. **

**It was too cliché for me, so I expanded on the idea that she was a kidnapped priestess from some little-known village in the north. She was older than Saya, and had once been pregnant with her first child, only to have it stolen from her when she was violently attacked my her husband gone mad. There was a lot of other stuff to her character, but then I realized she was much too humble for Kisame, so I trashed the idea and began anew.**

**That's when Saya was born. Everything that she is came from this single scene, a scene that I've gone over in my head so many times that I've memorized the dialogue that transpires. Still, I don't think I did it any justice compared to the scene in my mind, but I hope it was enough to capture your attention. **

**By the way, 'Shi' means death.**

**Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Reviews are always revered and appreciated. **

**~Serb**


	20. Ch 20: The Gutsy Shinobi

"Have I gone mad?"

"I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."

-_Tarrant Hightopp, Alice Kingsley; Alice and Wonderland_

_

* * *

_

"_Misa, what are you doing?"_

_Saya leaned against the side of the screen door lazily, tilting her head to the side in question. Her sister sat deeper within the room, in front of an elegantly carved jade mirror. It sat on a dainty dresser just tall enough to reach her sisters head while she knelt before it. There were rows of paints and assortments of powder, a pearl necklace laced with jade, combs and hair ornaments. A few bracelets made of malleable ore curved to form breath-taking designs, all for her sisters amusement. The collection of fancies formed an exotic corner that Saya thought to be pretty compared to the rest of the tailored bedroom. Her sister's face was decorated, an attractive combination of summer colors adorning her form. _

"_Getting dressed, of course." Her smile was tantalizing as she looked in the mirror, past her reflection and to Saya's. She smirked at Saya's uniform, a amalgamation of leather straps and navy blue hakama. Her sisters raven hair was bound into a tasteful twist, accompanied by two ornaments of tiny sunflowers that lightly touched down the back of her neck, while Saya's deep violet locks were pulled into an array of braids, only a few strands escaping their bands. _

_Her sister's smirk turned into a frown of distaste as she focused on Saya's image._

"_Sa-chan, do you always have to dress like a man? You look absolutely grotesque with all that plating and leather." She picked up a bottle ornately shaped and lightly padded the liquid inside onto her wrists and then collar bone. A rich smell, almost too rich, wafted over to Saya, making her want to sneeze._

"_It comes with the job description, Misa." Saya smirked. "Besides, I wouldn't want to flip and let all the men see my panties, now would I?"_

_Misa laughed a bit, finishing up a powdered nose. She applied a sheen of rose to her cheeks, continuing to talk while fixing her face._

"_No, I suppose not. But mother would turn in her grave if she saw you as you are now."_

"_She would not."_

_Misa smirked and put away her kit. _

"_You're probably right. Still, you're getting older Sa-chan, and when I was your age boys were flitting over to me left and right. All you have is Jin-kun and Katsu-kun." Saya rolled her eyes and turned back to face the garden just outside her sisters door. "You'll have to find a suitor one of these days."_

"_Misa." Saya hummed. "Just a newsflash, but ever since our old man died, I've been taking care of his affairs." She didn't bother to look over her shoulder. "It's been six years, and I'm still picking up the mess he left us. You might be the new clan head, but I'm still the correction units leader. I don't have time to play with pretty boys and paint my face." She looked stoically over her shoulder and to her sister who still looked at her through the mirror. "I'm too busy killing people." _

_Saya could see the shiver that made her sister tremble, no matter how she tried to hide it._

"_I still can't fathom why you chose this line of work, Sa-chan."_

"_I didn't choose it, Misa, I inherited it when you forfeited the title." Saya watched as her sister stood from her seat, patting her kimono down and wiping away any residue of the make-up. Saya's eyes left her sister, and traveled to the neat tea table to the left. A petite bamboo placemat stood between the table and a tea set, a saucer filled with candies beside it. The sides of the cups were adorned with dusky blue Wasurenagusa, forget-me-nots, painted along in small patterns. Although Saya would not tell her sister, she had always adored the tea set, the one their mother had given to Misa. Saya had never wanted it, believing she would easily break it if left in her care. It had always suited Misa, and the sight of it warmed her veins to an ebbing thrum. _

"_Still, you could have let the elders handle it."_

"_Like they could!" Saya scoffed. "With their pretentious attitudes, they would have had our village sinking into a pit of chaos. Their arrogance would have gotten us into war after war with opposing squads, and our methods would be crueler than they already are. They are desensitized from the empathy of the worlds workings." She crossed her arms and faced back to her sister, who looked at her with focused eyes.. _

"_Sa-chan…" Misa watched her sister carefully. "When I am married, you won't have to kill anymore. My husband will inherit your status, as well as mine, and he will take care of everything." Misa smiled a she approached Saya. She patted Saya's shoulders, their similar heights allowing their eyes to meet. "We may not be close, but you're still my sister. And as your elder sister, I know you love sparring. I know fighting is fun for you, you've always had a wild streak. And I know you're good at it, too." She smiled adoringly at Saya. "But you're not a killer. And I know it hurts you, even though you try to hide it. Jin-kun see's it too, so don't you look at me like that. Once I'm married, you can choose whatever you want to do with your life." _

"_Once you're married, huh?" Saya couldn't help but grin. Her sisters words had struck something in her chest, but she brushed it away quickly before Misa's eyes could detect anything. "That doesn't happen to have anything to do with Saito-san, now does it?" Saya's grin broadened as Misa's blush deepened, her hands falling from Saya's shoulders. Saya continued._

"_Oh? And maybe you're getting dressed for a date you have with him tonight, perhaps after his shift ends in a little bit?" Saya watched as her sister sputtered a bit into her hand, before elegantly folding her fingers._

"_And what if it does?"_

"_Then maybe you should know his shift ended early today, and that he's probably already waiting for you at the docks, hm?" Saya chuckled as her sister straightened up, her excitement pulsating and rubbing off on Saya. _

"_Excuse me." Misa murmured as she swept past Saya._

"_Of course, sister dear." Saya mused. She watched as Misa disappeared around the corner in a flurry of fabric, the sunset steadily dwindling behind their abode. It was funny seeing her sister, usually uptight and prissy, so giddy and pleasant. Perhaps Saito had been a good influence on her, had humbled her, and maybe he would make a great commander. Saya knew him well enough, and he was not only a good fighter, but also a polite and brave man. _

_Maybe…_

_Saya sighed and walked away from Misa's chambers, languidly finding her own not but a hallway away. The bamboo forest leading to the coast stood just outside her doors, and she watched the distance for a stray second before entering her doors._

_She closed them behind her with both hands, closing her eyes, breathing, and then opening them. _

_It was dark in her room, except the molten rays from outside that streaked in from the screen. Piles of tomes and scrolls littered the sides of her walls, the walls themselves cluttered with maps and notes pinned to the wood. There was only a lone, scratched table in the center of her floor, and unlike Misa's that held a neat tea set complete with dishes and flowers, hers held an organized array of kunai and senbon, and even a few stray throwing knives, Her meager garb was efficiently laid on a rack against the far wall, and to the right of it was a trio of swords in onyx scabbards. _

_She swept her gaze to the right, where a massive scroll leaned against another huge textbook, followed by a line of novels she kept for personal entertainment. A handful of plush cushions lay about, and grabbing one, she fell to the ground with a huff. _

_Yeah. _

_Maybe, if all went well, Misa and Saito would get married._

_Maybe she could step down as commander, and maybe she could pack a little bag, filled with novels and kiwifruit. Maybe she would even pack one of her favorites, "The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi". It was a funny sort of novel, with a vision of her world with a very different natured soul. There was a hero in it, one Saya wished she could be, and that hero could do all sorts of things she couldn't, nor would ever be able to do. No matter the enemy, or the mission he was given, he never gave up hope, and he never gave into the darkness. He had a power from within, something so simple and yet so unbelievably strong, able to outstand any force against him. He was that someone who could do anything, and be anything he wanted to be, simply through pure willpower. _

_A dream._

_Maybe…_

_Maybe she could sail around a bit. And maybe she could meet the author, and have him sign her book. _

_Maybe she could fish for a living, or maybe she could join that group of taijutsu specialists that traveled all around, leisurely performing for others entertainment. What were they called? Oh, it didn't matter._

_Maybe she would take Jin with her, and maybe even Katsu, if he was pleasant enough._

_Maybe…_

_She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes._

"_Maybe you should stop giving your hopes up, Saya." _

* * *

Saya's grin tore across her face as she stepped from the confines of a rather well furnished room. She had spent about an hour explaining the rings and circumstances of the summon to Pein, leaving out the bit about the deal with Shi.

Kisame was chuckling a throaty chortle behind her as they both left Pein's quarters, the man himself glaring into the back of Saya's head as she exited his presence. She could feel the palpable waves of annoyance pulsate from his form, even from the outer threshold of the room. She couldn't help but let out a throaty chuckle as she spun herself to the side of the hallway, Kisame clicking the door shut behind him.

"You really pissed him off." It didn't matter to him one way or the other how Saya behaved. He could care less as to what Saya said to him, much less Pein. In fact, he sort of found it entertaining to watch her play around with the so-called god. She knew they couldn't kill her now, so she was purposefully being obstinate.

Usually she wouldn't have been so blithely infuriating, but she was particularly pissed at the fact that the man hadn't let her a decent rest before demanding her presence. Of course, it was an important matter they had to discuss, to be sure, but discussing it could have waited just a few more hours.

"I know." She continued to grin as she spun to face him, answering his previous comment.

"How can something so weak be so annoying?"

"It's a gift." She replied, ignoring the bait towards her strength. "But that's besides the point. Why were you the one to escort me?" She eyed him, referring to Itachi's absence. Kisame walked forward, passing her by and moving down the hall. She watched him stride by, turning on her heel to fall in step beside him.

" I was already with you. Besides, Itachi usually does his own thing."

"You really are his bitch, aren't you?" She snickered. He threw her a scowl, but otherwise didn't lash out. Before he could retort further, she continued. "You respect him." She looked up to him with an honest smirk. "I can see it when you interact with him."

"Unlike _you_, I actually have manners, onna." Kisame smirked as she made a face. He suddenly looked down at his finger, inspecting the ring under hard scrutiny.

"Pretty little thing, isn't it?" Saya leaned towards him, looking at the ring too. "I suppose it was necessary to tell your leader that they were important. Kami knows what would have happened if someone threw theirs away."

"So we can't take these things off?"

"Not if you want to perform the summon. If you lose even one, then the whole lot will be useless." Saya's hair was still in tumbles against her back, scratches and nicks adorning her cheeks and arms. Her shirt was completely ruined, and it was quite a surprise that it was still on her. The back was in charred to tatters, leaving visible traces of the large black seal against her skin. Though, it didn't seem like her state of undress bothered her much as she walked ahead of Kisame, fluffing her hair in a stretch and yawn.

He frowned when he saw the seal, her skin raw from it being engraved into her. The seal resembled the pattern she had created in the cave, containing even the tiniest detail she had scrawled.

"You should get that taken care of." He said lowly. She raised a brow and looked over her shoulder.

"By who? There aren't any medics here." She shrugged. "Once I take a shower and clean up, it should be fine. It's only a seal." She stopped in front of a walkway to her right. It was the common room that he and Itachi shared, and without giving the mist nin so much as a questioning glance, she opened the door and walked inside. She hadn't ever gotten the chance to view the room before, but even so, she took little time to glance around before plopping down on one of the weathered leather couches. With a sour look, Kisame closed the door behind him.

The room was fairly simple, but because the base was particularly old, it had a bit of personality to it from previous members. It was originally a home base for an older clan, Geshi's late master. Although the base was large and well hidden, it wasn't Akatsuki's home base. But it did serve as home when members wanted to keep completely off the grid.

A single picture hung on the wall, an abstract assortment of watercolors depicting a crude painting of two peaches on a table. Beside it was a second-hand chair, just as worn as the two couches in the middle of the room and the tea table between them.

Saya stretched out on her seat like a lounging cat, and winced when a rather loud pop was emitted from her neck. Her slouch pervaded the pop and in a slight turn, her form folded.

"So, are you going to mope around all day or what? What happened?"

She looked over to Kisame with one lazy eye open. He was still standing by the door, and he was smirking again.

"What happened to what?"

"You know what, don't start that shit again." He threw one of his arm warmers over the side of the couch, followed by the other, and then took a seat on the couch opposite of Saya. He rubbed the sides of his arms, working out the kinks that stiffened his muscles when he had stood waiting for Saya to awaken from her fit. She had been surprised when he'd told her they'd been waiting for her for almost four hours. She told him she'd felt as if she were only one a few minutes. Crossing her legs to a better position, she rolled her shoulders in a similar attempt to loosen her limbs.

"Just what I said would happen."

He gave her a dry look.

"Which would be?"

"Which what would be?"

"Damn it, onna, I only have so much patience."

She grinned at his snarl, and with a sigh dropped her arms in her lap.

"It was scary." She said, her grin softening. "Actually, I think I can consider it the most scared I've ever been. Well, almost." She mumbled the last part.

"Hn. Alost?"

"Never mind." She said in a rush of breath. "The demon wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be some huge combination of animals, something like the pictures of the bijuu I once saw."

"No?" Kisame leaned back into the cushions, laying his arms along the back. "Then what did it look like, an ogre?" He teased.

"Not at all." She murmured. "It was…Well, I couldn't really see it. It was like looking through a camera that was out of focus." She cringed again and tried to lean back. "And his voice was funny."

"His? How did you find out it was male?" He played with her a bit more. But instead of taking the bait, she answered him honestly.

"Well, I guess I don't. But he sort of felt like it, you know? Females have a sorts to them, a sorts that can be identified by the way they talk, and he didn't have it." Shaking her head, she continued while looking down at her open palms. "Making a deal was hard. I offered him a few things, things I probably shouldn't have, before he finally asked for something else." Her frown deepened as she stared at the lines twisting on the pads of her fingers, morphing into larger, more defined ones as they traveled to the middle of her hands. Kisame would have laughed at how uncommonly solemn she was, but he kept quiet. She looked too tired to tease anymore, but then again, that meant he would get an easy rise out of her.

"I probably shouldn't have agreed."

She leaned further into the weathered cushion, the tension in her shoulders dropping with a sigh.

Kisame watched as she closed her eyes with a hum, and he wondered once again why she was doing this. It was so completely strange that she should endure, what he guessed was, excruciating pain. It was out of the ordinary that a former straight shinobi should go awry, and comply with an organization like Akatsuki.

More so, why the hell had she been in Shikai? Why had she been wandering around like she was? She said she was framed for something, and that her village had thrown her out.

But what exactly had she been framed for? What was so bad that she had resorted to alcohol in order to forget the past? She was skilled, he'd admit that much. Actually, her taijutsu was pretty damn good. Grudgingly, he'd allow her that much. He'd only been against her in a brief spar, and had hardly seen her in action, but if what he'd seen of her already was a fraction of her ability, then yes, she was decent enough.

Probably more so if she could actually use chakra. If her previous title had anything to say about it, she'd probably once been one hell of an offensive force. But all he'd yet to observe was her on the defensive, so it was a vague guess.

Of course, there wasn't a snow ball in hell's chance she could win in a fight against him.

Still, if she had been what he would admit she probably was, why had she been wasting away in Shikai? And what made her change her mind about Akatsuki?

Just what was she after?

Kisame was guarded, but really, he couldn't care less what the woman's objective was; after all, if worst came to worst, she could be handled.

Another question rose in his thoughts that he decided to voice.

"Onna…what did you agree to?"

When he wasn't granted an answer, he looked from the wall he was staring at and found her fast asleep. Her lips were only minutely parted, allowing small wisps of air to regulate in and out through her mouth. Her hair was all around her, it's plum hue almost black in the dim lighting that cast a twilight glow along the sides of the room, leaving the middle in a pool of darkness.

He noticed that she winced after every few breaths, and her sleep was rather fitful as she twisted to get into a better position to relieve the pressure on her back. Finally she settled, and tilted to the side a bit with her head lolled on her shoulder.

He repressed a snort of laughter at the comical expression she made in her efforts, but now it was rested and quite relaxed despite the taught stress lines around her eyes.

Kisame sometimes forgot how old he was getting, especially in shinobi standards. Ninja in general died at a rather young age, but a rogue like him was severely lucky to reach thirty. Of course, it wasn't completely unheard of, and considering his rather peculiar talents, he supposed he still had a bit of time left before someone bigger and better came around to make an end of him.

It was funny, then, that the woman before him was nearly his same age. She surely didn't have a baby face, but her overall mannerisms made her seem inexperienced. Kisame hadn't known very many women in his life, and even less kunoichi. But the ones he had encountered had been serious, deadly, sharp, and complete bothers. Women in general were strange creatures, emotional and bitchy and many other things Kisame would rather obviate naming. He found few to be truly attractive, and he was sure just as few found him to be the same.

So why was it that the woman here, sleeping on this couch, so curiously alluring to him?

He frowned a bit at that thought.

No, she wasn't alluring so much as she was interesting.

There were times when she was childish, ignorant, and much too carefree to have once been a shinobi. She disregarded her self-preservation, jumped before looking, and had violent changes of emotion that left him completely lost.

But then she would shift, as if she were a whole other person. She would be cynical, quiet, calculating, and almost…wise, he would admit.

And then, in another instant, she would be melancholic and reserved, soft and vague.

Kisame scratched his head and sighed, adjusting his hitai-ate.

This was why he hated women. They were just so damn confusing.

He sat for a while, just watching her sleep. Time went away, and he lost count of it as he simply sat in much appreciated silence. What seemed like hours passed before anything interrupted the rhythmic pulse to her breath and the almost inaudible one of his own.

A door clicked open, but Kisame didn't have to look to know who it was. As the door was back shut, his partner's voice hovered in the air.

"I was briefed on our next mission ,whilst Leader informed us of the summon." Itachi seemed to flicker over to the couch, like one of the shadows along the floor. He looked out of the corner of his eyes to Kisame.

"We'll leave in one day."

"That was quick." Kisame left his gaze on Saya. "What's the gig?"

"A simple assessment."

"One of Leader's spies?" He needed no reply. " Keh. Typical. He always gives us shitty assignments." Saya winced again with a hitch in her breathing. Kisame folded his fingers together, rubbing the calluses. "But then again, maybe it's better off, since she's like this."

Itachi slid his ashen eyes over to where Kisame was looking, and there they watched her for a fleeting moment before moving away.

"We're also to start looking for our assigned jinchuuriki." Kisame gave an approved grunt before they sat in a momentary lapse of silence.

"I think she has a hidden agenda." Kisame muttered.

"Perhaps."

"You don't even really care, do you?" He knew the young man had no true affiliation to Akatsuki. Kisame was very much the mercenary he appeared to be- No, he was the mercenary he undoubtedly _was_. His worth in the Bingo book was hefty, and not without good reason. But it wasn't just attributed to his strength and force, but also to his cunning. Yes, even a brute like Kisame had a rather sharp mind. Maybe not as sharp as Itachi's, but sharp none the less.

Itachi had always remained rather neutral in Akatsuki's decisions, merely following orders and executing them. It wasn't hard to notice his apathetic nature towards most things he came into contact with, and that included their organization.

"I guess it doesn't matter much." He grunted. "The woman can plot all she wants. What's the worst she can do?"

Itachi seemed to grunt in reply, but otherwise made no move to comment further. He seated himself in the cracked chair, the fluttering light dancing along his rigid jawbone and accenting the sleep under his eyes.

"I still don't understand what this summon is supposed to do."

It took Itachi a while to reply, but Kisame was accustomed to the Uchiha's long awaited responses. He was not surprised to hear his voice minutes later.

"The rings form a telepathic link to each member, allowing them to meet with one another regardless of the distance between them." Kisame took another look at his ring, taking it off his finger to roll around in the center of his palm. "Once the link is formed and all ten members are present, the summon commences. It requires all the chakra each member has."

"And the jinchuuriki?" He fingered the kanji.

"The tailed beasts will be extracted from their hosts and stored into the summoned statue."

"Hn. I wonder if any will live through it."

They sat in silence until they heard a resonating vibration that scoured the walls, no doubt someone training.

"When they spar like that it's bound to attract attention." Kisame slid the ring back onto the given finger. His eyes caught movement on the side of his vision, alerting him that Saya was waking from her nap. She stiffened before rolling her head to the side, another pop coming from her neck. She groaned and straightened out, blearily blinking her eyes until she could see clearly.

"I think I drank too much last night." She said in a gurgled voice. Kisame chuckled, realizing she was still half asleep and wasn't yet thinking properly. "I feel like shit."

"You look like shit." He agreed.

"Who asked you anyway, baka?" Her tone was still too smothered for there to be any real bite to it. "I could really go for a drink. Are you sure I can't just have one?"

"Yes." Itachi's voice summoned her most sour glare as she hopped her gaze from Kisame to him.

"You're deplorable."

She was about to stand and stretch when she realized she was just too comfortable to move. It was nice just sitting there, and she wasn't quite ready yet to perform any real tasks, such as bathing and cleaning herself up.

And looking even remotely human.

"I sure wish I was young again. You boys have it so easy." She sighed dramatically, flicking her fingers as if there were water on them.

"Stop your whining. I'm older than you anyhow." Kisame crossed his arms. Saya noted how the tendons slid along his skin where burly muscle clenched. Once again she was astounded by just how large Kisame was, being complete and pure brawn.

You know those times in your life when you lose your mind?

You know, when all the little fuzzies clog up your ears, until they smother your brain. Then, you're so cotton-headed that all you can think about is how you can't think. It's the only time in the world when we can account to being completely mindless. It is also the only time for genius thoughts, and at those times, we sometimes think of the most glorious things.

Saya was thinking of something, something rather silly, but all the same a something that could make her smile. It made her toes curl and her heart flutter, and it also made her snarkily laugh at the nonsensicalness of it all. The moment is bliss, something made of something else.

And after a while, it hurts. It hurts so bad, sometimes, that you can't see, and when you can't see, you can't stand the feeling anymore. So, of course, you quickly clear up the cotton with a watery blink or a strangled cough.

It's just a tiny moment, and it's not overly significant. A lot of people just brush it aside, and even sometimes, people don't feel the pain at all. Instead, all they feel is a tickle.

They account it to sinuses, that they have a minor case of an infection, or a cold.

They rub their nose and twitch their eyes, maybe even grab a tissue or yawn.

And then, the moment is over.

"I doubt you're over thirty-five." She coughed into her hand, seemingly serious.

"I thought you said you were in your late twenties?"

"Did I say that? Oh, then by all means, I'm twenty-seven. Or was it twenty-eight?" She gave him a sly expression. "A woman can never truly confirm her age. It's a standard rule."

"Standard my ass. You're a real kichigai, onna." He grabbed his arm warmers and straightened them out before throwing them over his shoulder. He crossed the room over to where there was a door, and the door looked sort of funny to Saya as she looked at it. It reminded her of a pattern she'd seen on a tapestry in one of the village's she'd wandered into. The tapestry had been a cover for a woman's dead son, who'd died not from battle, but an illness of the heart. Saya'd never known him, and she was very glad she hadn't, because otherwise the funeral would have been one she'd have to get dressed for. Still, she had been there, and the blanket had reminded her of a plate her mother had broken when she had been angry at her father. She'd been angry because he'd given an order to exterminate a village who'd been harboring enemy ninja. There were hardly any women and children there, but there were some none the less, and her mother thoroughly disagreed with his decision that would have them killed.

Or as he humanely put it: exterminated.

The death of those people never quite hit her, just as the son's hadn't. There were other deaths too that still hadn't hit her, and just like I have said before, Saya had yet to cry for those deaths. She didn't cry much when her mother died, and even less for her father.

For her sister, not at all.

And then…

No, she was dry of tears.

And this, ladies and less frequented gentlemen, is why Saya didn't cry when she hurt. This is why she didn't cry, not while she was aware.

Not when she was awake.

So it's pretty safe to say that Kisame had seen her, or more or less felt her, at a time no one else had.

Not even after meeting each other for a mere thirty hostile minutes, Kisame had already known her better than anyone else.

But, of course, he didn't know this. And he never would.

The only people to ever acknowledge this, readers, will me you and me.

Funny, isn't it?

He reached for the door, and Saya blinked.

"All the best people are mad, Hoshigake. Haven't you learned that by now?"

He paused in grabbing the knob, and chuckled darkly at her words. Then, he slid open the door and disappeared from her sight. She waited before mildly looking at Itachi.

"So now what?"

"We have an assignment."

She tilted her head and closed her eyes. An assignment already, hm? She thought they'd be on their way quickly enough, it wasn't much of a surprise. Still, she'd hoped she could sleep for a bit longer before they'd received any work. Maybe she'd been out for longer than she'd thought?

She had been briefed on her role among Akatsuki while she had been speaking with Pein, and she was pleasantly content with her stand.

It was simple enough. She would tag along with the least hostile pair.

_Which of course would be Itachi and Kisame_, she thought wryly. She was not, under any circumstances, allowed to travel alone. For some reason, the Akatsuki leader believed that Saya was incapable of handling herself, and he would not have her dying nor wandering out of their sight.

And personally, Saya was fine with this arrangement. She still wasn't in top form, but she was hella better than she was a few weeks ago. The weeks of traveling and training she'd acquired had definitely whipped her back into a decent state.

While they had traveled back to the base, Saya took it upon herself to spar with Hoshigake as much as she could. Their brief but intense battles had helped her regain some sense of reaction, and she'd been able to quicken her step and hits. Her taijutsu, while not as wonderful as it once was, was improving with obvious clarity.

It was fine that she was getting back into shape, but she also had to start planning. Figuring she still needed a couple of weeks worth of practice, it was decided that she wouldn't initiate any contact until she was sure she could completely handle herself. And if she could use Akatsuki's name to charge herself through Kaze no Mura's security, past their first line of defenses so she could actually gain enough attention to acquire recognition, then she could speak with the elders.

No, no, no. That was silly.

Talking never did any good.

It was more than words that she needed.

She needed something substantial.

She needed him to utter his sin before the eyes of her people, or what had been her people.

That was the only possibility of success.

It was the only was she would win.

A thought crept into her mind, winding a web from thought and idea to plot and sequenced data. Oh, she had forgotten those two. What had they been looking for, and why had the brat spoken to her…?

…Oh.

_Oh._

Well, this was obvious. And if that was so, then that meant…

Oh yes, she certainly had her work cut out for her. Akatsuki would be most…Well, they'd certainly be pissed. But once she settled her affairs, she would be no more trouble to them. Because once she had, there would be nothing else left.

It would be finished.

Settled.

And she would be the victor.

And probably the loser, too.

A smile found its way to her lips, and folding her fingers, she stifled a sigh.

No, she wouldn't need her aura, her chakra, bound. It was no longer necessary.

She planned to meet this head on, and when it was over, all her sins would be collected and vanished in one swift defeat.

Slyly looking over to Itachi, she noted how he watched her with a guarded expression. He seemed to be analyzing her, and she briefly wondered what he'd concluded so far.

"So where to and how long till we go?" She asked pleasantly.

It took him a while before he responded from his reverie, but she waited patiently for his answer.

"A small village to the south. We leave at sunrise."

Oh, was it night? She hardly knew the time anymore being underground for so long.

"I suppose I should get ready, then." She tapped her fingers together, building up as much motivation as she could in order to stand.

"It's name."

She looked over to him, furrowing her brows as she pushed herself up from her seat.

"Sorry?"

"What was it's name?" His voice was so soft, she thought, yet his eyes were cunningly sharp.

"Ah, I suppose you mean the summon, eh?" She faced him. "He said to call him Shi. I don't know whether or not he was being vain or told the truth, but I think 'Death' is a bit much." She continued it a murmur. "But he sure did look like death itself. Is there anything else you'd like to know?" She didn't smile at him. She was tired of forcing smiles.

It wouldn't work with the Uchiha anyway.

"No."

Shrugging, she walked to the door she had come through, but didn't leave before saying one last thing.

"Uchiha." She looked back at him, and their eyes met. She didn't lower her gaze, regardless of whether or not his blood line was activated. "You said before that you couldn't see. You know, when we were leaving the hall." She deepened her gaze. "You weren't just talking about the ritual, were you?"

His expression didn't falter, nor did his eyes. Nothing changed in the way he stared at her.

Still, she got the feeling he was a little angry with her.

She shrugged at him before relieving him of her presence, and taking to the hall and bathroom. Hopefully she would feel better once she rinsed the caked brood from her face and soothe the ache in her back.

Unfortunately, she was yet again without decent wear, but this time she'd been prepared. She had asked Itachi, nicely, if she could borrow another shirt before her whole dramatic scene commenced. However, she requested that she have one of his shirts, and not Kisame's. Itachi was much smaller than the brute, and Saya knew well that she'd fit into his clothing better than the mist shinobi's own.

So once she was clean, she slipped on her same hakama and wrapped her chest as best she could. He had given her a mesh shirt and black overhaul, similar to the ones she'd seen him wear. It was still a little too wide for her, so she tied it up as she did her hair and left all else the same. Figuring she hadn't taken that long in the shower, she decided to clean her earrings a bit before leaving her room.

Saya hummed a tune as she took all four out of her right ear, the simple gold tabs dangling as she placed them on the bed. As she neatly rubbed each one with a terry cloth, her hum escalated to a soft serenade.

"_A lonely woman waits at home, her darli'n lost at sea. _

_He said goodbye and with a kiss, and 'Don't wait up for me'._

_A day in which she never lives, a day that's never had. _

_A day in which she welcomes home, her lover dressed in clad. _

_Oh what a dearie dragging deep, she festers and she calms. _

_She haunts the shores forevermore, among the swaying palms." _

She finished the last one and clicked them back into place before starting on rubbing down her piercing scars.

"_Salvaged deep within her heart, he lives and tells her true._

_He whispers words of sweeter times._

_And days they never knew."_

Happy, she placed each back in their place and folded up the rag.

"_There's a place among the nestled reeds._

_A place she always grieves._

_And-"_

"Oi, stop with your damn crooning and get out here, onna. We're leaving."

She scoffed at Kisame's voice but stood none the less. Before she opened the door, she snatched up the small tanto she'd kept hidden beneath her bed and tucked it into her pants on her back. Then, with a vapid sigh, she opened the door.

* * *

They hadn't made much progress. Saya, Itachi, and Kisame, that is of course.

There wasn't any dramatic encounters that had held them up, but there was a particular issue that arose once Saya reached the tree's entrance.

"It's raining." She said in a voice, making it seem like it was only expected that she didn't continue walking any further into the forest.

"So? The branches are so thick here that you can barely feel it." Samehada was once again on his back, their cloaks adorned on both he and Itachi. She too had a robe, and it fit her nicely enough, though, it was sans the red clouds and was a simple black.

That still didn't mean she was walking in the rain.

"I hate the rain." She replied stiffly.

"I don't give a damn what you hate. You can either willingly follow us, or I could knock you back out and drag you." He said simply.

She studied him in perverse silence, actually considering the idea.

"I would be able to get some more sleep…" She trailed off.

Kisame gave her a funny look, wondering yet again if the woman had all her marbles.

"You coming or what?"

"Or what."

"Damn it, onna…!"

"If you come we will buy you dango."

Both she and Kisame looked over at Itachi, surprised. She quickly schooled her expression.

"Oh, like that would work on-"

"Deal." Kisame looked between both she and his partner, wondering if they didn't just do this at his expense for their own entertainment.

Shaking his head, he trod past Itachi and found his way along the path they so often tread. She gave the Uchiha a knowing smile before following after him as they wove through the humid expanse of land. Her coat protected her from pestering insects that flew about, leaving her to protect her face with a quick flick of her wrist as she shooed them away.

The grass and dirt was soggy but firm enough to walk on without a mess. Even so, Saya could still feel the workings of muck creeping its way into her shoes and between her toes.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate rain?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you act like a cat?" Kisame didn't bother looking back to her. "You sleep like one, you smile like one, you fight like one, and you look like one."

"Cats can't smile." She corrected. "Except for cat shinobi." She looked at Itachi inquisitively. "Speaking of which, don't the Uchiha have contracts with those little demons?"

"Hn."

"I'll take that as a yes. Does that mean you can summon a kitty, Uchiha?" He closed his eyes, as if in attempts to ignore her. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed. My summon was a whole hell of a lot crabbier than those rats."

They walked on in silence.

"Don't you wanna know what my summon was?" She asked, peering over at Itachi. "No?"

"Stop pestering him, onna, or you'll find yourself in a genjutsu." She chuckled and heeded Kisame's warning, keeping to herself for most of their walk.

"Rain is the ultimate link, don't you think?" Saya mentioned. "It connects peoples hearts, just as it connects the sky to the earth."

"Hn. Being mysterious again, onna?"

"Trust me Hoshigake, everyone is less mysterious then they think they are." She answered. "No, I think I heard that somewhere, from someone else. Who was it again?" She wondered. "Kite Tubo? No, that doesn't sound right…" She mumbled off into thought.

The rain began pelting down, allowing more to shower past the leaves and dampen their clothes. The sound was rather soothing, accompanied by the dry sounds of crickets and twitters of birds. There were more clicks sounding in the air, probably from insects and animals Saya'd never heard of or seen, and it permeated the air in a low crescendo. It was something like this, she thought, she'd miss the most when she was gone.

The sight of Hoshigake and the Uchiha's back, shifting slightly in their pace before her, was oddly comforting. They were rather humble men compared to what she had expected, and also compared to the rest of Akatsuki. She hadn't had much contact with any of them, but she could feel in their brief encounters their murderous intent. It was a subtle hostility, except in the case of the one called Hidan who was absurdly loud, and no one had really lashed out at her.

But she'd worked long enough with their kind, and she'd known that if it weren't for her agreement with their leader that any one of them would have killed her simply because she'd come within their sight. The boy, Sho, was an exception. He wasn't like the rest of them.

He had a sort of hesitance about him in the things he said, and according to his ambitious speech he'd given her, it was safe for her to assume he wasn't in Akatsuki because of his notoriety. No, it was more likely he'd joined to gain recognition, and it just so happened that he had something that Akatsuki could gain.

She wondered faintly if it wasn't too late for someone to save him.

Regardless, the two men before her were rather different in comparison. Sure Hoshigake was a little bloodthirsty…

Okay, maybe he was more than a little bloodthirsty. Still, when she'd met him, she didn't get the feeling that he had wanted to kill her. It was almost like…like he wanted to _fight_. There was a major difference between killing and fighting, and Kisame was a fan of the latter. He wanted action, and he found that when he battled, so she couldn't really judge.

It would be like the pot calling the kettle black.

Still, besides that funny quirk, he was an otherwise nice, albeit arrogant, guy. He'd threatened her plenty, and they all weren't as nice as 'being dragged by your hair'. But not once had he raised a hand against her in spite, and for that she grudgingly respected him.

Itachi, too, was a strange case. He didn't exude a threatening aura at all, in fact, he was quiet. If it weren't for the fact he was part of Akatsuki, she'd take him for a decent fellow.

But knowing of the Uchiha massacre told her otherwise, and she questioned the circumstances of his presence among these men, as well as his crime. His aura was not menacing like that of a murderer's, and she had often seen him staring out in thought.

Sad that such young men had suffered, she thought, and sadder still that they'd surely die before they were old enough to truly suffer for their effects.

It was at this thought that all of the clicks and chirps, snaps and crickets went silent.

As if they were never there.

"Well, something's coming." Kisame's low voice against the fragile silence caused Saya to shiver. A familiar pair of chakra signatures defined themselves not far away. In fact, if Saya didn't know any better, she'd say they were only a little ways before them.

"I'll be damned." She mumbled. She hadn't expected to catch them this quick. This was much sooner than she had anticipated.

She shrugged it away and stood between the two men.

"Should we go a different direction? It isn't anbu, they travel in groups. But it might be a pair of hunter nins." Kisame looked over to Itachi with a calculating stare.

"They would only follow. We've already been found."

"I thought you liked to fight, Hoshigake?" She smiled ahead of them. "But I guess this close to your base would be rather unpleasant, huh?"

He grumbled in response, the deep resonance of his voice vibrating in his chest. Standing next to him, Saya thought…

Yes, she was getting much too comfortable with these men.

They waited silently as the chakra approached in a slow drawl, almost as if the owners of them were taunting the group.

Suddenly, and very unexpectedly, a loud crash among the brush from the incline on their left caught their attention. Gargled curses and cries of laughter rang in her ears. Saya rose a brow as a bright yellow object fell unceremoniously in a heap a few steps ahead of them, giggling in wicked amusement.

"Ne, that was fun Yin-chan! We gotta do it again before we cross their path!" Her bubbled laughter erupted from her mouth in an assault of hysterical cackles.

Saya sighed and cradled her forehead at the sight of girl. She still dressed in those damnable colors, from head to toe. She also seemed unaware of their presence before she caught scent of tense air. She popped up and looked at them with wild surprise evident on her face, before looking into the foliage with excited jeers. Her lanky form straightened up as she peered back from where she fell, and Saya admitted that she'd grown quite a bit. She would have been almost fifteen this year, and that would make her partner fourteen. Her voice was the same, though, and just as irritating.

"Yin-chan! I found them! Hurry up and get out here, we can play in the muck later!" Her voice was like ringing bells, and they clanged against the awkward silence.

Another girl, small and slight, walked calmly from the darkened leaves. Her face was flat, her eyes lulled and half-lidded as she addressed her surroundings. Although she appeared very young, Saya's previous assessment told otherwise.

She zeroed in on Saya and turned her body towards them. In her hand that was by her side, she carried a single metal ring that resembled the kind of the playthings Saya's mother used to giver her as a child.

"Who are these brats?" Kisame's hand on Samehada dropped, falling back down to his side. "A pair of genin?"

"Speak your names." Itachi said softly, barely a trace of hostility. The Uchiha seemed more guarded than his partner, but his sharringan had yet to surface upon his eyes.

"I'm Fuu, and this is Yin-chan!" Fuu exclaimed, pointing at herself and then the white-haired girl, as if it were obvious.

"What the hell are you doing all the way out here?" Kisame questioned gruffly. Then he smirked. "Didn't your parents ever tell you that monsters live in the forest?"

"Monsters aren't real!" Fuu countered. "Katsutoshi-sama said so."

"Oh?" Kisame raised a brow. Fuu seemed to be appalled by his response and looked at him indignantly.

"He's only the coolest shinobi. _Ever_." She looked over at Saya with a relit grin. "Isn't that right, Saya-oneesan?"

Instantly both Akatsuki looked straight at her.

"Aw hell." Kisame grumbled.

"I told you my old village is right next door." She shrugged. "Not my fault."

She caught Itachi's gaze and knew what he wanted to know.

"Fuu, aren't you a little far from home?" Saya gave her a twitched smile.

"Katsutoshi-sama requests your presence, Saya-oneesan!" She chirped, nodding to Yin. At this, Saya bristled instantly. Despite knowing they were after her, she hadn't expected such a bold move from Katsu. Just who did he think he was, all high and mighty?

"I don't give a damn what that idiot wants. You can tell him to go to hell." She said in a harsh tone.

"Tsk, that's a terrible thing to say! What would Jin-kun say if he heard that?"

Saya froze, her arms deadweights and her legs nailed to the forest floor.

Some type of puddle pooled in her stomach and bled into her guts, staining her from head to toe in a kind of icy chill. For a brief second, she thought she might lose control of herself and fall.

But it was only a second, and plenty of those pass by every minute.

"Well, Fuu, he'd probably say that Katsu could go fuck himself, and _then_ go to hell." Saya's hands flexed as she worked out her biting anger, trying not to snap at the infuriating girl. Then, she smiled. "Now why don't you skip your way back to your master and tell him that if he really wants to see me, he can get off his lazy ass and find me."

Kisame looked down at Saya with a subtle smirk. He had felt the woman in tears, and he had seen her cynical smile plenty. However, he had yet to see her in a rage, and truth be told, he found it somewhat…

He couldn't quite name it.

Itachi, too, was mildly intrigued by her anger. The two girls seemed to have a past affiliation with Imatsura Sayuri, and there was no doubt by the looks of these reactions that, perhaps, this Katsutoshi was an enemy. Either it be that or an unwelcome friend.

Her face was strictly drawn with lines of fury, schooled only by a thin layer of ice that chilled the fire beneath her expression. Oh, it was well enough that she should control her emotion, tiding in with a violent wave, but she did not hide it well enough to escape any of their notice.

It was a funny anger, though. Despite her obvious opposition to the girl's invitation, she also seemed aloof, a kind of sardonic humor etched in her curled smirk.

Like a lady of vengeance.

"Ne, you've changed, Saya-oneesan. You never used to be such a prickly pinecone!" Fuu whined.

"A few years of exile can do that to a person." She replied dryly.

"Well, whatever."

"You will oblige our request." Yin said, speaking for the first time. Her voice was dead, a complete opposite to Fuu's overly lively tones.

"That didn't sound like a request, kid." Kisame looked the snowy girl in the eye unwaveringly.

"That is because it wasn't. Sayuri-san will accompany us to Kaze no Mura, the village of the wind." The flat lilac eyes seemed to see nothing. Itachi narrowed his eyes dangerously, red surfacing along his iris' as Kisame's mouth opened to repute. However, Saya interceded.

"Girls," Saya's face lost it's danger, leaving a weary slip of coy, "Why is it your master wants me now, after all these years? And what would make him think I would agree to coming, hm?" Her eyes flashed. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you have something I-no, something _we_ want."

"Still intuitive, Sayuri-san."

She threw Itachi and Kisame a quick glance, relaying a look filled with warm entertainment.

"What is it you have to offer?" Itachi looked back to the pair with calmed eyes. He seemed almost relaxed now, understanding Saya's eyes only just enough to contently handle the situation.

"Who said we want to offer you anything?" Fuu sniffed, but not before grinning. "Who said we won't just take her from you, and drag her back to our village?"

"Try it." Saya smirked, a line of static connecting between the two.

"We are in possession of the Gobi no Irukauma. My master is willing to make a trade. Sayuri-san's presence for the five-tailed beast."

Something stirred in the air between the two parties.

"How did you know-" Saya began.

"We have our sources, of course!" Fuu giggled. "You should know that better than anyone, Saya-oneesan."

Both Akatsuki men looked unharmed by her words, but it was little known surprise that ran through them. All of them.

How did these girls know about Akatsuki?

"I wonder…" Saya's face remained impassive, "Just who these sources are?" She raised a single brow in question.

"It's a secret!"

Saya didn't like that. It was blaringly obvious, to her, how they should know so much. All with those three little words.

They were dealing under the table.

They were working with spies, with murderers and cheaters to get their information. Probably through bribes.

Tch. Katsutoshi always was a coward.

"Proof."

"Wha?" Fuu looked at Saya with doleful eyes, blinking owlishly.

"He means where's your proof, baka." Saya translated for Itachi. "How do we know you're not just baiting us?"

"Oh!" Fuu shoved her hand within the confines of her jacket, wriggling around and biting her lip as she searched herself. "Ah, here we go." Pulling her arm back out, her hand seemed to hold a headband. No, it had an insignia on it- from Iwagakure. "His name is Han, and because of our current affiliations, Iwa's not so much of an allied force. So, of course, while Han-kun happened to be on a mission in our territory, we had no qualms about taking him hostage."

Saya watched her dubiously.

"How the hell did you capture him?"

"With a giant cage!" Fuu exclaimed dreamily. "Katsutoshi-sama is a genius."

"…bullshit."

"It's true!" She huffed with a stamp of her foot.

"We were given a sealing scroll containing the resonation able to withhold the demonic chakra of the five-tails." Yin informed them, giving little regard to the steaming ball of sunshine.

"Itachi?"

Itachi didn't bother looking over to Kisame. His eyes were trained on the girls, until they slid over to Saya in one swift slide.

"…We will go with them."

"Hurray!" Fuu hopped with outstretched arms, her mood changing instantaneously. "See, Yin-chan? I knew it would work!"

"I think I should go by myself." Saya met the Uchiha's eyes.

"What makes you think we'll let you?" Kisame asked.

"Explain."

Her smile curled along her lips.

"Aw, you'd miss me, wouldn't you?" She was answered with dull expressions. She shook her head. "Things will be complicated. This reeks of trouble." She laughed.

"Then we'll deal with it."

Saya couldn't see, but Kisame smirked at her as he said this.

"There's no fun in it otherwise, onna. We can handle ourselves."

Saya was ready to protest, but thought better of it and twisted her neck around to look up at him.

"Ne, let's go then! I can't wait to see Katsutoshi-sama's face when he see's you!" Fuu slapped her cheeks, grinning like a fool. "And we have bad guys with us too! Come on, I wanna have some fun!" She waved at them and began skipping in the other direction. "Follow me!"

"Freak." Kisame muttered.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black, Hoshigake."

"Shut up, onna. No one was talking to you."

The three walked forward, Saya taking the lead and approaching Yin, who held her gaze. As they met, Yin turned around and began walking. Saya's step hardly faltered when she spoke, but that didn't mean she wasn't surprised with what she uttered.

"_There's a place among the nettled reeds._

_A place she always grieves."_

Saya's heart throbbed.

"And if you ever wander there, you'll never want to leave." She looked fondly at the head of white hair. "You remember that?"

"I have always remembered."

They walked on, following Fuu's lead as they traveled through the canopy of lush greenery. Wildflowers popped from the ground and decorated the already picturesque forest. The sound of wildlife began anew, and once again the day began.

"Kisame."

Kisame regarded his partner as they walked side by side at the rear, Fuu's extravagant singing creating a shield for their conversation.

"Yeah?"

"This is most likely a trap. Do not let your guard down."

"Remember who you're talking to, Itachi."

"Hn."

Kisame scratched his head and looked ahead.

"I'm just wondering who the trap is for."

"…"

"Itachi?"

"Hn."

"If I get the chance, I'm going to kill that brat in the yellow." His partner looked at him slowly, but Kisame only narrowed his eyes at her bright figure as she pranced about a thicket of bushes.

"She acts like a kid, but she looks at the onna like she wants to kill her."

"…Do what you want."

As they headed towards a destination meant for something she couldn't name, Saya internally trembled at what was left before her. She had played the part, and Katsutoshi's bait worked well with her own plan. It went well, she thought. Much too well, and it made her nervous. But regardless of the nerves that short-circuited within her, she kept her poker face and kept along.

It was best if she didn't falter.

A faltered step, or a hitch in her breath, or even the smallest tremor would bring her down.

No matter how scared she wished she was, and no matter how she worried hoped she could be for what she hoped for, she wouldn't be afraid.

She didn't have that option.

She could only take one step at a time, inhale in even breaths, and stare with unblinking eyes at the people among her and the road beneath her feet. She would have to be unmoving, unheeding to the forces against her. And no matter what, she could not fall. She could not give up, nor could she break. She could only clash with her steel will, and use her mind to its fullest capacity in order to outsmart her opponent. She would be brave and strong, unyielding and ready for anything.

Just like her favorite book character.

**Longest chapter yet.**

**If there are grammatical errors or the Japanese-related stuff is wrong, just deal with it, please. I'll learn to fix it sooner or later. Plus, I don't have a beta-reader, and I'm too lazy to fix my mistakes.**

**By the way, Kichigai translates to 'Crazy Person'.**

**I'm pretty sure I've been an ass, because I never truly gave one of my readers enough credit for her illustration of Saya. It made her more real, and even if it's just one person who drew one picture, it meant the world to me.**

**Thank you, Puthetik.**

**(Ha, I just got it)**

**If you would like to see it, the link is on my page.**

**Review, because it makes me want to write.**

**Thanks.**

**~Serb**


	21. Ch 21: Call Me King

_**"We always imagine eternity as something beyond our conception, something vast, vast! But why must it be vast? Instead of all that, what if it's one little room, like a bath house in the country, black and grimy and spiders in every corner, and that's all eternity is? I sometimes fancy it like that."**_

**-****Crime and Punishment**

_Saya took a breath, inhaling with short, quick spurts. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't release a single one. Standing there, trying to calm herself, she wondered what it must feel like to laugh. She wondered what it would feel like to let a burst of hysterical giggles burst from her thinned lips, whether she could still understand the warmth of that kind of simple happiness. Because, now that she thought of it, she hadn't laughed, truly laughed, since she'd gotten that letter. The letter she believed to be false, mistaken, completely misunderstood. _

_That had been three months ago._

"_This has to be a mistake," she said quietly. She was very afraid. Afraid that if she should talk at all, the people around her would shatter and so should the world. All that she would be left with would be a mangled mess of a reflection, a mirrored image of what should have been, but what wasn't even there to begin with. Instead, she would be left in the dark._

_And god, how she hated the dark._

"_We are not mistaken, Sotaicho," the man sitting across from her said gravely. "Our source is anything but unreliable, and though we haven't witnessed Takyui Saito committing such atrocities, we are more than sure this information is, in fact, correct." _

"_No," Saya said firmly. "I have shadowed him since I received the tip. Not once have I seen him out of line." _

_The elders sat in thoughtful silence, leaning deeply into their chairs. They were grouped on Saya's right, and to her left were her most trusted taichos. Each were grave-faced, staring either at the table before them or at each other. Their dusty sapphire uniforms reminded Saya of the jewels that sat at her sister's vanity, glinting in the sunlight as Misa delicately slid them into her hair._

_The memory laughed._

"_We have reason to believe he's been dealing information through other means besides verbal communication." _

_She sat and watched as she dug her fingers deeply into the finely grained wood of the table. It was curious that she left indents where she trailed her fingers._

_When had her touch become so terrible?_

"_He also spends a curious amount of time with the Misa-dono." _

"_That is because they are seeing each other," Saya murmured. _

"_All the more reason to believe it to be his cover," one man said. His hair was closely cropped and his burly arms rested calmly on the table. She looked up from her musing and let her gaze wander down the row of her captains until her eyes met with Katsutoshi's. Their gazes connected, and briefly, she thought she saw something she shouldn't._

"_Who is this source you are relying on?" She demanded softly. "I assume it is one of our own, else you wouldn't be so sure."_

"_He wished to remain anonymous. He wants no part in Saito-san's execution, only wishing to protect the village."_

"_Tch." She folded her arms and leaned back. "I don't like it. This isn't just anyone we're talking about here. He's a vice captain, your vice captain, Arata-taicho." She stared pointedly at him. "What do you think of this accusation?"_

"_I don't want to believe it's true," he replied carefully, "He's been nothing but honest and, dare I say, kind." The older man chuckled before wistfully continuing. "The lad never stops working. He takes care of his subordinates and is noble to the blood. I don't see him being a traitor, he's too proud." _

"_My point, gentlemen," Saya folded her fingers, eyeing the elderly on her side. She watched them mumble behind hands to one another before one spoke out. Saya internally cringed that it would be him arguing against her._

"_Sayuri-dono, the allegations against Takyui-san are most grave, and we cannot but help take such matters seriously. We understand your hesitation towards such repercussions, but these charges cannot be ignored." The man flicked back a strand of salting hair, the rest tied back to keep from his face. Though wrinkles had yet to claim his features, the faint lines of crows feet had begun to emerge along the edges of his eyes. _

"_If it's all the same to you, Daichi, I would like to have matters further investigated before one of my best men is cut down by his own comrades" She did not smile as she said this, but nor did she frown. She sat solemnly still, awaiting to hear his rebuttal._

"_Perhaps it is best to take action before misfortune falls upon us, Sayuri-dono. Who knows what the enemy already knows about our home?"_

_Oh, playing at that was he? The old coot knew what he was doing, she'd give him that. A few men murmured uneasy questions about, fearing an enemy that had yet to be seen. He was spreading fear like the plague. _

"_Daichi, unless I have missed something vital, could you please enlighten me as to which enemy it is that you speak of?" She waited, but before he could reply, "No. There are plenty of enemies awaiting our demise, but Saito-san has yet to reveal one at our gates. Killing him would only create discord among the noble families, one which he is a part of, and thereof provide an opening that you so imploringly believe to be established." She paused, measuring her words before uttering them. "It would also upset my sister should anything foul happen to him."_

_A very empty silence ensued. _

"_Then perhaps we should tread with caution, Sotaicho." _

_Saya looked sharply at Katsutoshi, who smiled adoringly over at her. _

"_You agree, Katsu-kun?" She watched as he nodded faintly._

"_Of course. We wouldn't want to make the mistake of murder, now would we?" He folded his fingers on the table, closing his eyes with the same smile. "Besides, without evidence, how will we know for sure that anything is amiss?" _

_All eyes were turned from him to Saya as she regarded him thoughtfully._

"_I agree," Daichi concluded after the elders chattered. "We agree with both Sayuri-dono and Sato-taicho. We will investigate these alleged charges further before taking any action."_

_Saya released a shallow sigh, her heart fluttering deep into her core._

"_Agreed?" She asked._

"_Agreed."_

_

* * *

_It was just like she remembered it, only, it wasn't.

The gates were still thick with dead anemone and coral that had long been dried out, and the market that wove between the village was just as broad, surrounded by casually built wooden houses that were covered with tiled roof. Almost every walkway and every doorway had a wood or wind chime that rang in the breeze, even the light tussled one that blew as she walked deeper into the village. The taste of the sea ripened on her tongue and sharpened her senses until she could hear even the faintest rumble of waves.

She walked between both Itachi and Kisame, Yin lingering just to the side of them as Fuu led the way. When they had tread through the village limit, a small assortment of men confronted them with steely eyes and rigid words, asking them of their purpose. Fuu and Yin warned them of their mission, agreeing to the men accompanying them to the headquarters of the correction unit. They were quite a sight, Saya imagined, and it was no surprise that they caught the villager's eyes. The market was always a busy place, filled with peddlers and craftsmen, children playing and stealing while mothers chastised them with jabbing fingers.

It was as if an execution were taking place considering how quiet it had gotten, all eyes concentrating on their small parade. Though, Saya wondered whether it was the Akatsuki cloaks that earned so much attention, or that fact that their previous head in-command was walking beside them in unholy silence. There was a mumble of gossip sliding around the crowds as men and women uneasily walked out of their path, making way for their procession.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"I'm I seeing this right, honey?"

"It's the Sotaicho."

"Ex-Sotaicho, you fool."

"What is she doing here?"

"What is she doing with those men?"

"Who is it here, I can't see anything!"

"It's the ex-Sotaicho, and she's with Akatsuki men."

"Akatsuki? What's that?"

"Who are those men?"

"Who's the ex-Sotaicho?"

"Baka! Didn't your mother ever tell you the story?"

"Shut up! They can probably hear you."

Saya internally frowned, but otherwise smiled slyly as they froze the traffic of the usually vivacious street. It wasn't as if everyone was watching their every move. There were families who had blown off the spectacle and continued their shopping, as well as thieves who had taken the opening to snatch a pretty comb or shiny pear.

It didn't make it any less heart-stumbling for Saya as she recognized familiar faces and petty scowls that were directed her way, as well as the way of Itachi and Kisame. Neither of the girls were greeted either, and were regarded rather coldly as they traveled through the streets.

"I've heard of this village," Kisame said. "There's shinobi in the Bingo book from here."

"It's not isolated," Saya continued her smile, "Just not popular. There aren't any tourist spots, and the village is under the protection of the correction unit."

A rather strong gust of wind howled by, clattering the chimes around them into a frenzy. Somewhere a child giggled among the hushed voices of the villagers, echoing along the buildings before being swallowed whole by the wind.

They came across a path that diverged from the road, branching off to a separate direction near the beach and noticeable cliffs. The trail was made of pebbles and wood, sand filling the cracks between and smothering any hope of weeds to poke through. Tall grass inhabited the sides of the path, bending with each breath of the wind, only to arise and bend once more. There was a slight incline, and with each step Saya's heart fluttered erratically in her chest. She couldn't help but feel a heavy mist of nostalgia sweep over her, almost clouding her sight in an array of damaged memories she tried not to recall.

"_Sayuri-dono, if you want to beat me at taijutsu, you'll have to drop that sword."_

"_Still can't catch that bug can you, Sa-chan?"_

"_A lonely woman-"_

"_Saya, I have high hopes for you."_

"_Jin, look at that driftwood! Let's grab it for Katsu."_

"_You shouldn't have done that, Saya-chan."_

"_Saito…!"_

"_Sa-chan…I don't think I can ever forgive you."_

"…_Jin!"_

"_Imatsura Sayuri, you are hereby charged with murder in the first degree. You have the choice of death by execution, or to forever be banished from the village of the wind."_

"_If I ever get the chance, I will dest-"_

"_You look sorta funny, Saya."_

What?

"I said, you're not lookin too hot, Saya-oneesan."

Saya looked from the grass to Fuu, who smiled back at her with a Cheshire smirk.

"Still hotter than you, pipsqueak," she said offhandedly. Fuu bristled with fisted palms, pouting. She opened her mouth to yell back at her but was intervened by someone else.

"So what's this Kensei guys relationship to you?" Kisame cocked his head to the side to look back at Saya. She remained impassive, making no attempt to answer him with any sort of explanation.

"It's _Katsutoshi_, Katsutoshi_-sama_. And he's Saya-onnesan's best friend!" Fuu said with renewed enthusiasm.

Kisame didn't hear Saya argue against it, but he thought he might've heard a muttered 'tch' under her breath.

"Katsutoshi-sama is the commander of the correction unit, and is Saya's successor."

"Yin-chan's right, ya know? He makes sure the village is safe from outsiders _and_ makes sure the captains catch the bad guys. Katsutoshi-sama became our next leader right after Saya-"

"Right after she defected." Yin finished gracefully.

Saya's eyes fell half-lidded as they trekked the rest of the way to the manor, the waves now audible to everyone's ears as they crashed against the distant shore. They came to a stop but not before Kisame could let out a low whistle.

"Nice place."

Saya looked up to the high-topped house that had once meant something akin to happiness to her. But now as she saw it, it was only a empty building waiting to gobble her up.

"Welcome home, Saya-chan!" Fuu giggled with twirled hands.

Two armored guards stood stoically on either side of a stretch of wood stairs leading up to the plat- formed house, watching as Fuu nodded to either one of them. The guards that had accompanied them spoke to the guards quickly before escorting them forward and along the gradient. Itachi and Kisame spoke to one another, but Saya couldn't quite catch the words from her place behind them. As she stepped up, one of the guards glanced over to her with what looked like a pout, but when she looked directly at him he turned back ahead and remained silent.

With a shrug she brought each foot ahead of her and was greeted with the sight of a multitude of walking captains and chatting soldiers as they walked about the expanse of the large balcony. All in uniform and all recognizable faces. She lowered her eyes for a moment, but gripping her pants in a fit of spite, she looked back up violently and glared ahead of her without regard to the stares that were beginning to be directed towards her.

She strode to the place between either Akatsuki men, ignoring the loud quips pointed her way from some of the unrestrained captains.

"They're just rays of sunshine, aren't they?" Kisame chuckled as one particularly pointy insult was thrown into the air. Saya shrugged with upturned palms, pasting on a strained smile.

"What can I say? I told you boys I was popular."

"Don't you mean infamous?"

"Details, details." She waved him away, dispelling the anger that simmered just below her façade. They were led past the men and through an expanse of hallway until they reached a wide threshold. The silence had once again pervaded what wasn't being said by any of the eight, excluding the occasional whisper from passing guards. However, these men seemed more keen on Itachi's and Kisame's cloaks than the face of the sotaicho they'd never met.

"Here we are!" Fuu swept her arms before her, motioning towards the next room. The ceilings raised far above the high beams and the walls widened much further to either side, reminding Saya of the vast parties that were once held there. The smell of sandalwood and vanilla hit her suddenly along with another fit of memory-infused nostalgia. The odor grabbed her heart and ripped it from her throat as her eyes drifted towards the large banner of her family's insignia. The blue cloth along with the navy cushions ahead, the two captains watching their entrance, and the one man behind them…

She wanted to scratch out her eyes.

No, she wanted to rip out her hair.

She wanted to grab something and smash it.

She wanted to cut through a pillow or bite on a leather leash.

She wanted a knife so she could cut up that infuriating smile that lifted the man's cheeks.

She wanted to cry and to growl, to fall down laughing and just die.

Saya wanted so many things so suddenly, she felt as though she might break into a thousand pieces and wither away.

Instead of doing any of the things she wanted, though, she stood there behind Fuu and Yin with a smile to match his own.

"Ah, Saya-chan. It's good to see you after so many years."

And that damn voice was still just as sickeningly sweet.

"Kastutoshi-sama!" Fuu skipped past the captains and fell down beside a plump cushion, grinning like a fool. "We found Saya-oneesan and even the funny guys with the cool cloaks." Her eyes resembled glittering sapphires as she watched Katsutoshi in absolute adoration.

"Well done, Fuu." He patted her head as she glowed. Lowering his hand, he turned his head minutely so he once again faced Saya and her companions, a spark of something wicked igniting behind his calculating orbs. "You may leave." He waved away the two captains, who bowed to him and marched past the four still standing in the entranceway, the guards had left them once they had escorted them to the doors. One of captains looked at her blankly while the other watched her with something she couldn't recognize, though, it felt as though whatever he felt was closer to melancholy than anger. After they left, Yin stepped forward and took a seat on one of the cushions beside the large but low table.

"Please, come in," Katsu bade them, "Have a seat. Would like some Snow Drop tea?" He motioned towards the array of cups and a large kettle.

"The jinchuuriki." Itachi said with a chilled command.

"Ah." Katsu tilted his head and touched his chin with two fingers. "I suppose diplomacy hasn't much of an effect when it comes to business matters such as these." With a delicate touch he adjusted the spectacles that had been sliding off his nose.

Sometimes it was freighting how time changed people.

Saya had always been something different, whether one should perceive that as good or bad. Since she had left the Village of the Wind, she hadn't much changed; though, her face had matured from that of someone who has yet experienced utter defeat to that of someone who had. Not quite as young as she was before her banishment, her eyes now harbored a veteran soul bearing the intensity of a warrior with a goal and restless spirit. Regardless of what had aged her, though, Katsutoshi could still not refrain from admitting her to be eye-catching.

She'd changed most definitely, though.

It was not in her looks as much as he could see it in the way she stood there beside S-classed criminals. It was the way her eyes had hollowed, the way she tipped her head slightly as if bored with what she saw, and yet she watched simply because nothing else was quite worth her time. It was the way she held herself in that lax countenance, the only stiffness being in her shoulders that he recognized as her attempt to restrain balling her fists hard enough to draw blood.

It was pleasing that this meeting had such an effect on her.

But then what was with that smile on her face?

That smile seemed amused, something he hadn't counted on after so many years of her exile. He imagined her to be livid, or maybe mad with grief. He imagined her to be drowned in drink and to haggardly stumble in while just barely being able to throw a punch his way.

He imagined her to be weak.

However, he had not, in any way, thought that she'd still be so…

Formidable.

It very nearly made him frown.

Saya, however, thought Katsutoshi hadn't changed a bit. Still he wore his long, dark hair in a metal plait on the back of his head, leaving only stray strands to fall in his face from his long bangs.

He was still long and thin, though, his forearms were now sinewy with muscle, and he seemed to bear an arrogance far stronger than his previous persona. His glasses were a guise he still used to hide the fiendish glint that shined in his ashen eyes, a wickedness that seemed to be hidden behind a slather of delight and tactful resignation that came with being a leader of diplomatic standing.

"Hello, Sayuri," he said again, folding his fingers.

"Yo." She drawled, grinning a bit while giving him a mock salute. She looked to either of the men beside her and shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I could go for a cup of tea." She walked forward and plopped down on one of the cushion seats, leaning her arms on the table top and idly placing her palm on her cheek, staring on at the captain commander across from her. "But not Snow Drop tea. I'd prefer a cup of Masala Chai. You can handle that, can't you?"

He smiled crookedly at her, noting how the Akatsuki men joined her and sat stoically beside her. The taller man, though, seemed like he had something to say and only held back from saying it because he thought it would be better to observe. They were both Akatsuki, just as he had been informed, and they seemed even more dangerous up close.

"Of course."

With a wave and beckon a young woman entered from a side shoji screen, bowing and taking his order before exiting in the reserved manner most servants held. Fuu coughed into a hand as they sat in silence for a few strained moments, playing with a strand of her hair.

"You look well, Saya-chan." He said conversationally.

_What he means to say_, Saya thought, _is 'why do you look so well'?_

"Yep. I heard that sea salt preserves the clarity of skin so I've taken to the habit of eating a spoonful a day, just to be on the safe side. It's not so bad, though. I'm pretty good at swallowing bitter things" She replied. "You look much the same as you did, Katsutoshi."

"Please, let's refrain from formalities, Saya-chan"

"Katsutoshi-hime."

Katsu regarded her with eyes filled with fathomless loathing as well as amusement.

"Ne, Saya-oneesan. You shouldn't be so disrespectful to Katsutoshi-sama." She leaned onto the table much like Saya. "Otherwise we might slight your throat." She giggled into her hand as if it were the funniest thing she'd ever uttered.

"Just kidding!"

The attendant returned carrying a tray of steaming tea cups, replacing the cold ones and then excusing herself once again. Saya watched as she closed the door, figuring that she must have been new because she couldn't place a name to the face. The scent of the chili and spice in the tea floated within the room, reminding Saya of just how much Katsu hated spicy things

"So, how have you been-"

"We heard you captured the Gobi no Irukauma." She said in a slanted tone. "How'd you manage that?"

"Efficiently and quickly, of course." He informed her. "It was by no means easy, but of course your organization already knows that, doesn't it?" He looked at Itachi without turning his head.

Itachi stared back at him unflinchingly.

"Hn. We are here to collect the jinchuuriki." He closed his eyes. "That's all."

Katsu hummed a chuckle and leaned into a hand.

"Of course, I never suspected this to be a social call. After all, we didn't part on very good terms, did we Saya-chan?"

She smiled at him, taking a sip from her cup.

"They were less than favorable, but that's besides the point." She watched him over the steam of her tea. The heat on her face nearly made her sneeze, which would have been sort of silly with the tension of things. Instead, she immediately thought of something off topic in order to confuse her senses, and an image of a figure on a cliff caught her attention.

With little effort, she pushed away her memory along with the urge to sneeze and confronted Katsutoshi with a smiling face.

"Is it?" He asked. "I suppose. Before we continue any further, I don't think we've been formally introduced." He said, pointedly making a gesture to either of the opposing men. "My name is Sato Katsutoshi, and I am the captain commander of the correction squad here." A glare flashed across his glasses. "I humbly make your acquaintance."

Both men waited in silence before Kisame minutely glanced over at Saya.

"Does he always talk out of his ass?"

Saya stifled a chuckle while Fuu spurted out a gulp of tea she'd been taking.

"Don't you dare talk about Katsutoshi-sama that way!" Fuu screamed, jumping up from her seat and pointing a finger at Kisame.

"What are ya gonna do about it, brat?" He asked, grinning maliciously as she prepared to pounce.

"Enough." Katsu said in an amused tone. "Sit down, Fuu."

Fuu immediately plopped back down into her seat, simmering with a bloodthirsty glare at the mist shinobi. Kisame only grinned back at her, hoping she would make a move and provoke him into a fight.

"Now, may I ask who either of you two gentlemen are?" Katsu requested, his voice just a tad too light to be considered polite.

"Uchiha…Itachi." Itachi said lowly.

"Tch, Hoshigake Kisame."

"Stop acting like an idiot." Saya said with a twitching lip. "We both know you know who they are."

Katsu adjusted the glasses on his nose before smiling back at her.

"You always were smart, Saya-chan. It was manners that dictated me to request such information."

"Compliments will get you nowhere, so stop talking shit and get to the point." She said good-naturedly.

"Always so terse, Sa-chan. Fine, if that's the way you want it." He nodded to the two guards that still stood at the doors, and they retreated back to the winding hallway. "Now then, what is it that you would like to know?"

"I would _like_ to know if you're good for the trade. My presence here for the jinchuuriki." With a movement, she tipped back the rest of her tea and stamped the cup onto the table. Kisame grunted at her, making a face at her behavior.

"I am always good for a deal, Sa-chan. You should know that better than anyone." His smile was mildly wicked as he stared her down.

"You're right, I do." She flicked the cup so it fell onto its side, spilling a dribble of red tea. The color made it seem as if a drop of blood was flicked on the table, but it went otherwise unnoticed. "So what do you want from me?"

"Now Saya, we both know that's not the right question to ask, is it?"

Itachi watched as Saya and Katsu spoke with one another, the violent undertone behind each of their words just as sharp as a kunai. He also wondered if this man, Sato Katsutoshi, thought he, Uchiha Itachi, was ignorant. Of course he would notice the surrounding chakras that circled around the room they were in, revealing that this was no simple meeting or chat.

Kisame thought much the same as his hand twitched to wield Samehada

"…You know, Katsu, it's amazing how much you kiss your own ass."

Again, Fuu jumped up from her cushion only to be patted back down by Katsu, who regarded Saya coolly.

"Ah, Saya-chan. You still have a way with words as well."

"If I have a way with words then you must have absolute tact with they way you keep beating around the bush." She leaned back on her arms and sniffed as she noted a shadow along one of the screens. Tch, did he really thing she was so gullible?

"Your anger is understandable." He conceded. "However, back to my main point. The correct question to ask is…"He tilted his head to the side with a knowing smile, "How did I know where to find you, and why did I call you here in the first place?"

They waited a moment while a stutter echoed from somewhere in the distance. A guard passed by the door, sneezing into an open palm.

"You know, asking questions just because you want to answer them is really pig-headed." Saya said ruefully. "Brings back some memories."

"Your humor is just the same, too." The surrounding shinobi made little noise, but that didn't mean they went unnoticed. Katsu must have known this, so it was either he wanted them to know their situation or he didn't care if they knew. "I have your answer, though." Katsu continued, resting his gaze on Itachi for a moment. "In exchange for the jinchuuriki, I require a tidbit of information."

"Nothing on Akatsuki, bub." Kisame said dryly.

"I want nothing of the sort," Katsu said pleasantly, "Actually, only Saya-chan can give me the information I want, and it has absolutely nothing to do with her present dealings."

"Then what do you want?"

Katsu shifted towards Itachi, his head cocked slightly in thought as he nestled a thumb to his cheek. Saya's eyes remained detached as he remained silent, her inner turmoil with the situation raging so terribly that she thought she might break before their very gazes. An intense and sudden longing for solitude and sake claimed her heart, shuddering an intoxicating desire through her being. She hated this, all of it, but she promised herself she would deal with this man. It wasn't just a matter of Akatsuki business, as the two men she stood beside might have perceived this meeting. This was the chance Saya had been hallucinating about for the past ghostly years of her exile, and she wasn't about to let nerves dominate the moment.

"Saya-chan," Katsu said, a shuffle from behind the side doors sounding off like an alarm, "Would you be so kind as to tell me where it is that you've hidden the Maō Gijutsu?"

His voice was so sweet, it could have curdled a gluttons stomach.

"That," she said, "is none of your damn business."

Both Itachi and Kisame sent glances down at her, her smile was shining as she glared back at Katsu.

"Oh? I think it is. Besides, I'm sure I have better uses for the information it holds than you do, Sa-chan."

"Tch, you don't even have the slightest idea." She mumbled to herself, though, everyone around her caught the words. She straightened up before continuing. "What makes you think I've hidden them? Maybe, Katsu, they're right before your eyes."

"Then you have them?" He asked calmly.

"Nope," she chirped back. " I was just stating the hypothetical. It's no business of yours, but I haven't hidden them. I threw them into a fire long ago when I realized their information would do more harm then good should anyone other than me decide to take a peek."

"This is getting boring."

Saya sent a vicious glare to Kisame.

"Who the hell asked you, Fish-Face?" The twitching eyebrow from her frazzled nerves revealed just how on-edge she was to the rogue shinobi, though, it seemed Katsutoshi noticed this too.

"A little shaken by my request, Sa-chan?" He mused.

"Fuck it." She spat. "I'm done playing this game of cat-and-mouse with you, Katsu. I don't have the scrolls and even if I hadn't gotten rid of them, I wouldn't tell _you_." With a twisted frown, she stood up and stared heatedly into his eyes. "I don't care what you wanted with them, 'cause you won't get your hands on them anyway. And I know you know I know how you knew where I was, because we both know you know how to sense chakra, so you can stop this high-and-mighty act before I shove it up your-"

"Ah, language, Sa-chan."

"And stop it with the 'Sa-chan'! You have to right to act so familiar, and I'm sick of these games." She growled.

Kisame was guffawing inside his mind, the pure fury of the woman he'd come to know as potentially level-headed and daringly sly adding wood to the proverbial fire of his amusement. It was surprising, hella surprising but no less entertaining (And he wouldn't admit it, not even to himself, but he also found it completely alluring).

Itachi, too, might have found it amusing if it hadn't been for the particular situation they now found themselves in, and regardless of the woman's temper, he wondered just how this Katsutoshi would handle their so-called agreement now that he had nothing to his benefit.

"Now, Sa-chan," Katsu said with a terrible softness, "That's not very nice. Still…" He switched his gaze to Itachi. "If what you say is true, and the demon lord technique is lost forever, then I suppose my dealings with you is finished. However, that is not so for your friends." He adjusted his galsses again before going on.

"Although Sayuri doesn't have the means for trading with me, you men most certainly do. How about a new offer, hm?" His eyes narrowed with a smirk. "I will give you the five-tailed beast in exchange for Saya-chan." He laughed. "A more than fair trade, no?"

This man was seriously starting to grate on Kisame's nerves, despite the brief pleasure he enjoyed while witnessing Saya's eruption. He could deal with guys who didn't act like snakes, slithering around until the enemy was weakest, then going for the kill. Sure, it might have been considered the shinobi way, but it sure as hell wasn't a fair fight, and personally, Kisame preferred fights that didn't require cowardice. This man had obviously been waiting to turn Saya against them, and vice versa, for whatever it was that he was after, and it made Kisame want to lop his head off.

"No deal." Itachi said soundly, his eyes unflinching as always.

Saya regarded him before looking back over at Katsu, her hatred boiling down to a simmer.

So that was it. She understood it now.

"That's too bad," Katsu tutted. "You know, it's not unknown for notorious criminals to sneak into the correction units base in attempt to assassinate the captain commander. In fact, it happens every now and again." With a snap, the doors on all sides, even the ones leading to the outside hallway, slid open with various clacks, all shaped soldiers with swords drawn ready. There were no captains among the hoard, but Saya was nearly sure that a few lieutenants were thrown into the mix as well as a few notable individuals she'd dealt with in the past.

"You planned this all along." She told him.

"Planned what?"

She gave him a knowing look.

"You're not Katsutoshi."

"Yes, I am." He explained to her. "The thing is, Saya, you never knew who Katsutoshi was. Maybe if you looked a little harder, you would have seen it."

* * *

"_Maybe if you looked a little harder, then you would have seen it."_

_Saya shrugged and threw a shoe over the side of the room, letting it land in the garden just outside her room._

"_Whatever Jin. How was I to know it would be under the table, hm? Maybe you hid it there from me." She grinned up at him as he stood over her, a slight grin marring his features as he looked down at her. His shaggy black hair dusted across his vision as he looked into her eyes, the mirth in them humbling him and warming his blood. _

"_You know, Saya, it's not every day you orchestrate a treaty for ensuring the peace between two warring villages." He teased her. "Maybe you should take this a bit more seriously."_

"_What I should take seriously, Jin, is the fact that I haven't eaten in almost two days, and I'm about to pass out from delirium." She held a dramatic hand over her face, dropping back to fall against the cluttered ground. "Good thing that banquet tonight is sure to have plenty of fibrous meat." Then, peeking an eye open, she looked up again at him. "You know, it's not very proper for a man to be in a lady's room."_

"_That's funny, Saya. But you forget I've already been in here since we were in diapers."_

"_Yeah. Besides, when have I ever been a lady?"_

_She twirled a piece of hair thoughtlessly before Jin shuffled his feet._

"_Saya, I want to talk about something with you." He watched her seriously as she paused and listened. "It's about Katsu…I think-"_

"_Sotaicho."_

_Jin looked sharply over to the open door, a kneeling soldier with on fisted palm against the floor bowed politely with strict decorum. _

"_What is it?" Saya called without looking up._

"_There has been a development concerning Takyui Saito. You must be debriefed immediately." _

_Saya leaned against her elbows while looking at him. _

"_What development?"_

"_The…" The man looked dubiously over at Jin. Saya caught the look and shook her head._

"_It's fine, continue."_

_The man nodded once before relaying his information._

"_The information you sent me to collect, Soataicho. Takyui Saito has been confirmed to be dealing with the amassed criminal organization known as Fangu. He has been caught collaborating with several of their members and not once reporting to any of his superiors of foul play. Therefore, I have found that he is indeed a traitor." _

_Saya sat up completely, a hard look plastered on her face._

"_You are sure of this?"_

_A brief pause._

"_Absolutely."_

_Saya stood quickly, slinging an arm into her haori and dawning her scarf around her head. _

"_Call the captains to order." She instructed the man. _

"_Yes, Sotaicho."_

_She stopped just before the door as the man stood and strutted away. Jin had been watching her face the whole time, as the usual aloofness melted to detached callousness. There was a misery in her eyes that haunted him, and the despair set in the lines of her mouth had him tensed. _

"_This is what you were talking about?" He asked her._

"_Yeah." She said quietly. _

"_You know, there are other ways to deal with this. You can ask him face to face."_

"_And if he lies?"_

"_You should be able to tell."_

_She looked back at him with a tender, defenseless expression. _

"_I will try. But if the other captains decide otherwise, then you know what I'll have to do."_

"_You could ask someone else to do it." He offered, but already knowing what she would say to that._

"_No. That would be cowardly of me. I will do it myself if it has to be done at all."_

_She went to walk down the corridor, but was stopped when Jin's hand rested on her shoulder. _

"_No matter what happens, Saya" He said with a smoldering stare that penetrated her shield completely, "It is not your fault if he has to be executed. It was his choice if he is guilty, and you are not to blame for protecting this village." She didn't smile at his words, she only dropped her head._

"_It's not the village I'm worried about," She said so low he hardly heard her. "It's the woman I'll have to talk to…to tell her that her fiancé was killed by her own sister." _

_

* * *

_

She knew he was right. This maliciousness was always there, though, she used to think it was distaste for the otherwise brash life he had to live amongst the correction squad. She had believed he thought he was too dignified to fight, to follow orders and live amongst killers everyday.

Well, she got one thing right: He was much too dignified to follow orders, especially from her.

"So what, now you're gonna sick all these underlings of yours on us?" She asked, reigning in her fury and detestation.

"That's the idea." He said with that damn smile.

"Quaint."

"I thought so."

"Tell me, did you really even catch the five-tails?"

"Yes." It was not Katsu who said this, but Yin, who had remained seated and silent throughout the entirety of the ordeal.

"Well then, at least this trip wasn't a waste of time," Kisame chuckled, standing before Itachi stood as well, his hand reaching back towards Samehada. "So where is the beast?"

"Like we'd tell you!" Fuu burst out, jumping up with a beaming smile.

"In the western cliff caverns, detention cell number twelve." Yin replied, her eyes dully focused on the wall across from her.

"Yin-chan!"

Saya looked down at Yin with a quirked brow.

"Why tell us that?" She wondered aloud.

"It doesn't matter," Katsu said airily, "You won't get a chance to pursue. In fact, you just might be dead before stepping a foot out this room?"

"Fat chance." Kisame smirked, wielding his sword.

Instead of adrenaline running through her veins, Saya felt an ebb of queasiness clutch her stomach. She wanted her justice, she had wanted to use Akatsuki's facilities in order to get back in shape and somehow invade her old home. She had wanted to convince them that it was necessary, and then, she had wanted to confront Katsu and bring him to his knees, not for the sake of the village that shunned her, but for the sake of the memory of her best friend, her sister, and the man she murdered.

But this had moved way too fast.

Somehow, Katsu had found her, and eager to take the chance, she calculated her chances at achieving the same ends to the given means. Sure, she had worked up a sweat or two. Sure, she had kicked the habit of utter intoxication, and after a few weeks worth of mobility and a couple of good training sessions, she'd been in better form than she had been in a while.

So letting that eagerness take over her better judgment, she'd complied. Though, after the tidbit of information the girls had thrown at Itachi and Kisame, she assumed there wouldn't be too much of a choice in going to the correction units base anyway.

But behind all that, behind the eagerness and otherwise obvious bait Katsu had used to lure them there, when Saya really confronted her wounded pride, she had to admit she had her doubts of being able to handle Katsu.

It wasn't that she didn't necessarily have the skills, oh no, she certainly had that. The problem was, just how rusty had those skills gotten? She hadn't had a _real_ fight yet, and with the lack of a properly working chakra system, she couldn't help but wonder now if she could take Katsu at all in her current state.

It was maddening. It had been weeks now, but still, how would she use the techniques she had always relied on? Katsu had probably developed over the years, and she had stayed the same, besides her taijutsu. But hand-to-hand combat wouldn't shake Katsu, she knew that, and besides:

She wanted to take him down with a sword.

All this ran through Saya's mind in those brief and tense seconds before those soldiers around them caved in, and even in the face of all these doubts, she grinned.

No.

It didn't matter whether or not she'd gotten enough of a warm-up before now. She would be ready when the time came, no matter what. Fighting was like breathing to her, after all. She'd started sparring when she'd turned seven, and had killed her first target when she'd turned eleven. Her father had beaten the principles of a warrior into her head day in and day out, especially once her mother had passed away. Once she saw a move, or a technique, or read a line from a script, she could always recall it to the tiniest detail. Even when her brain was fogged by liquor she could still recall most things.

But all that didn't matter anyway, because when the time came when she could face Katsutoshi one on one, she wouldn't need any of that. All she would need was her anger, and hurt, and the memories of the people she loved to fuel her drive enough to take back what he had taken from her all those years ago.

All she would need were the memories, and then, maybe, if she lived long enough afterwards, a strong cup of sake.

**So it took me forever to update this, but you might've noticed that. I was bored with the way I was writing, and a bit with Naruto itself, so I couldn't find the inspiration to write. But then, after watching 300 and Kiss the Girls, I decided I needed to ignore a few scholarship applications and commit myself to continuing with the next bout of this fic.**

**Anyway, I hope to conclude this arc-thing in two more chapters, and then set the story up with little snippits of what happened throughout the years of Saya's companionship with our beloved shark and weasel duo.**

**Oh, and just out of curiosity, what do you guys think would fit Saya had she not been a shinobi?**

**A) A blacksmith/Metal worker**

**B) A cook**

**Or**

**C) A fisherman….or in this case, lady**

**Thanks for your input, and the cool reviews you left me. Rereading them also gave me the motivation to type up a storm.**


	22. Ch 22: The Medusa and the Snail

**You mustn't carelessly climb Persimmon tree's. Persimmon tree's are connected to the underworld.**

**-**_** From a mother who's dead, to a child who's living**_

_She had done something terribly wrong. _

_Though, her hands did not shake. Her heart did not stutter. Instead, it sat painfully still in her chest, as if she had just woken from a comforting dream. Her captains had agreed, the elders had decided...all the evidence had lined up. The letters her spy had discovered hidden within the confines of Saito's bedroom, the witness that had caught him sneaking away at night...more's to pity, but Saya couldn't think about it. _

_How was it that he looked her so clearly in the eye, that he could tell her without a single doubt that he was innocent? Could it all have been a mistake? Was she a murderer? No, there had been evidence... The night seemed loose, as if it had let out a breath and refused to inhale a single ounce of oxygen. She had protected the village, right? She had prevented her sister from a betrayal that would have surely torn her apart...didn't she? No, don't think about it. Saya walked steadily down the corridors of the manor, her footsteps hardly audible even in the quaking night's silence. Her armor was simple, a lone leather breastplate and arm guards, her sapphire uniform dusky beneath the blood and darkness. Her hair was tied back, only a spatter of red marred her face, two splotches along her eyes and one at her chin. Although she had not spilled anymore over her, she felt as if she were leaving a trail of blood behind her, each footprint a slather of sticky matter to slick the wood. She felt like a ghost, untouchable and silent, a deafening and horrible heartache squeezing the feeling from her chest, leaving her open to the world and its misery. She turned the corner of the outer walls, the familiar garden to her left and her sister's quarters to her right. The garden was no longer comforting, though, and was but a plot of dark, swaying objects and hungry shadows. It seemed dull and bare, and she no longer felt the need to glance at it to still her busy thoughts. _

_She had expected its sight, but she hadn't counted on her sisters. She sat in the moonlight, her legs hanging over the side of the walkway with limp movement. Her head was shied downwards, her hands unmoving in her lap and her lips still and visible behind her nettled hair. Saya did not start at her appearance, she only stopped in her walking while looking blankly down at her sister. "Misa."_

_A brief pause. "Saya." There was a silence without the accompaniment of crickets or other nightly sounds. Her sister did not look up at her, and Saya allowed her gaze to regard Misa until the latter broke the thrum of saddened air. "I have heard...I know what has happened." She said, her voice a tiny stir of its usual cheer. _

_It was hollow. _

_Saya didn't flinch, she could not feel the remorse that clawed at her lungs. _

_She was made of ice. "Then you know what had to be done." She replied tonelessly. _

_Misa responded with a mirthless chuckle, her head leaning to one side as she pursed her lips._

"_Sa-chan…" She looked over to Saya sideways. Her eyes were red, dark lines edging beneath them and black tear stains dripping down her face. Something cracked inside of Saya, but her face held no mercy._

"_Sa-chan…" She continued, "I don't think I can ever forgive you."_

_**Something deep inside Saya spider-webbed, the crack widening and distorting her innards. **_

"_Of course." Saya said, walking once again. She passed by her sister, who chuckled darkly. The laugh reverberated in the thick air, strangling Saya and threatening to smother her. The laughter subsided._

"_Sa-chan…?" _

_Saya paused at the corner. She did not look back, nor did she inhale the breath stolen from her. She waited for Misa to continue._

"_Will you promise me something, Sa-chan? One little thing, it's the last I'll ever ask of you."_

"_What is it?" _

_Misa giggled, the bubble of laughter tightened coils in Saya's belly. _

"_You have to promise me first, Sa-chan. Promise me…"There was an eerie desperation in her sister's voice, something out of place and altogether shattered. She hesitated._

"_I promise." She conceded. "What is it?"_

"_If a Persimmon tree grows on my grave, will you kindly climb up it and be swallowed by Hell?" She twisted her face to Saya, her small smile crooked and cynical._

_**The spider web widened, breaking that place inside Saya. Something was cut, forever severed, and the loss was so completely deep that it tore apart a piece of Saya's mind. It was the moment Saya witnessed her sister losing her sanity.**_

_**

* * *

**_

"Well, this looks bad."

Saya bent her legs in a defensive manner, the men around her silent and brooding as they circled around the three Akatsuki.

"Keh, this is just a warm-up," Kisame tightened his grip on Samehada, the blade gleaming maliciously in the afternoon twilight.

"Not all these men are push-over's, Hoshigake. Some of them can easily be placed in the Bingo book right along side your name." Saya flicked her eyes in the direction of Katsu, who was sitting with a silent smile. "There are a couple of pansy-asses, though."

"We will split up," Itachi said lowly. "Imatsura-san and I will lead them towards the forest. Kisame, find the jinchuuriki."

"Sounds good to me," Kisame smirked. "Meet back up at the water?"

Itachi replied with a hum, his eyes continually focused on Katsutoshi. With a twisted movement, Kisame brushed through a throng of the soldiers, casting a quick glance back at Saya and Itachi. With a grunt, he brawled his way through and came out behind them, a cluster of yelling men chasing after him.

Another second later, Saya and Itachi shifted from sight, the sounds of their footsteps receding through the opening Kisame provided for them.

"Hey, form lines! Do _not_ let them escape." Someone ordered with a voice that resembled metal grating against metal. "Katsutoshi-sama has ordered their capture, not death. Now go!"

Saya followed behind Itachi, watching his back as they fled from the room they had barely escaped. They were heading northeast, towards the thin layer of brush they had seen while climbing the path to the base. However, Saya knew that the forest there was a poor excuse for cover, and that a wide river with a strong current resided just past the first mass of tree's. There was no way they'd be able to cross it, at least not successfully with Saya in tow. She'd need to borrow some chakra for that, but she supposed crossing the river wasn't on the Uchiha's mind. They were a distraction for the time being, allowing Kisame to sneak into the cell chambers and steal away the jinchuuriki.

Hopefully he wouldn't have much trouble; after all, most of the squadron was after Itachi and herself. Could they handle all those men if they were cornered? Maybe. She _was_ with the infamous Uchiha Itachi, mass-murderer of his own clan. And she _was_ Imatsura Sayuri, ex-sotaicho of one of the most revered organizations, other than the bigger and better ninja villages.

And Akatsuki, of course.

She sighed with a closed eye.

But that was a lot of sweaty, muscular men to fight.

"Imatsura-san, is there a way back to the manor that obviates the path we just came by?"

Saya looked behind her shoulder, the forms of her old subordinates not far behind but steadily fading into the distance.

"Yeah, through a path just along the tree line. It circles around and ends up just behind the barracks." She replied, looking back ahead. "What's the plan?"

"We will meet back with Kisame at a designated point later. For now we will keep their attention." She nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement, the voices of their pursuers quieting in the distance. Saya's lips quirked as though she ate something sour. She had let her temper get the better of her in front of Katsu, all the years of angst and simmering fury finally coming to a hissing, spitting boil. She hated that she had let him get to her, hated the fact that her cool was interrupted by that conniving smile of his.

But truth be told, Saya didn't care anymore now. Now that she thought about it, she didn't care for much now that everything was gone. How much more could that man possibly take?

Nothing, except maybe her life. The idea of her own death had once seemed distant and unreal to Saya, but now it was just around the corner. The thought of death's release hadn't seemed too bad for the past couple of years, actually she had found it quite comforting. But…Now it was disconcerting. Regardless, she was prepared to face what she had decided for herself.

For the sake of revenge she had condemned herself to something a little bit worse than Hell. Her sister should be fairly content that Saya would keep true to her promise.

They slowed once they neared the greenery, the large manor still in sight just beyond the fields they had crossed. The hoard of soldiers were also visible, and as Saya wondered how they were going to lose them, Itachi formed a sequence of hand signals with only but a whisper of his technique.

"Uchiha, genjutsu won't work on them." She said quickly.

"It's not a genjutsu." He replied calmly. Two shadow clones appeared in a swift puff of dark smoke, and she had to commend him on his eye for detail. The image of her and Itachi nodded once at the red-eyed man before rushing off along the trail. Rather than follow them, the real Itachi led her to the right and she followed him behind a group of tall bushes and dry grass, their height masking them from the path they had been traveling. After a few moments of hiding, the squad flew by in a flurry whilst tracking the footprints of the clones. Once they'd passed, Saya kept her sight trained on the far-off manor.

"Efficient." She told him.

"Hn."

"Now what?"

"We will wait until Kisame gives the signal, then we will meet him near the cliffs."

"Does he know that?" She wondered, leaning back and falling onto her bottom, sighing with a heave. He looked down at her with a sharpened stare.

"Hn."

"I'll take that as a yes," she laughed, "I can't believe they fell for the oldest trick in the book. Katsutoshi really sucks as a sotaicho, they're slacking." She quipped.

A silent air fell between them as the noises of nature filled what was left. Crickets and cicadas made the summer heat come alive with their chirps and tunes, a stray birdcall and a careless crack from some animal in the dry grass accompanied them. If they hadn't been in their situation, Saya could have confused this with a typical summer day from her youth. A sudden desire for salty ice cream and watermelon quelled in her mind and teased her taste buds. She had been watching the distance, but a heavy feeling of being watched itched under her skin, and so she looked over to Itachi. His eyes were focused on her, the red in them unsettling. Though, there was no malice behind the look: Actually, if Saya didn't know any better, she would think he was watching her with some form of amusement.

"What?" She asked.

"You broke face."

She shrugged and looked back out from behind the grass, suddenly feeling much too tired.

"Yeah I did, didn't I?" She leaned further back on her arms. "Totally not cool."

"Hn."

"I'm tired of pretending. I pretended most of my life, and I'm ready to do whatever the hell I feel like doing." She confided. "If I'm mad, then watch me blow up. If I'm excited, then be ready to deal with my humor. The only thing I promise _not_ to do, is cry." She looked at him without turning her head. "That cool with you?" She asked crossly. Itachi bowed his head, closing his eyes.

"Do as you like."

"Good answer, Uchiha. You're not half bad."

They grew quiet as a figure appeared along the road, but it was just a villager with a basket of linen. She walked along lazily, chewing a piece of hay and dressed in a loose kimono. It must have been a servant from the manor, otherwise she wouldn't have been so far away from the village, Saya thought. She left them, unaware that they were even there, and all became still again. Whether it was the nostalgia or the boredom, Saya didn't know, but she decided to talk.

"This place really isn't too bad." She started, "I used to love it. Hated the job, but the idea of protecting others made it worth while. Though, the paperwork in itself was murder." She chuckled with a fond grin. "You know, I never wanted to be the sotaicho. My old man brought me up with mud and fistfights, so I learned to have fun sparring. Taijutsu was enjoyable, but I fell in love with swordplay, and when my father discovered this he just about grinned himself silly. He was so happy that one of his daughters might take his place once he retired, so happy that he could connect with one of us."

"One of his daughters?" Itachi asked softly, his eyes grazing her face as she grimaced.

"Yeah…I had a sister. She…" Saya paused, looking down. Itachi watched as her face fell, a solemn expression taking root. She rubbed her hands slowly, looking up with a smile. "Something happened a while ago, Uchiha. It was something terribly silly, but also terribly horrid" She didn't bother looking at him as she said this, though, she did wonder why her tongue had become so loose.

"Have you ever been in love, Uchiha?"

She didn't expect the stoic man to answer her, but she thought she'd ask it anyway.

"Well, if you have, then you know that sometimes love can make you do crazy things. Some people embrace it, others try to hide it. And then there are those who misplace it." She looked at him carelessly. "Katsutoshi was one of the latter."

Saya thought over on what she had just told him, wondering how incredibly stupid she had sounded. Love, of all things, is what had destroyed her life. Something as frivolous and fleeting as love compared to the wide range of emotions that controlled shinobi life. The Uchiha was probably laughing at her, in whatever way that he did laugh.

"He went crazy with want, and the want led him to destroy the thing that he wanted so badly. And I…" She hesitated. "I was just the tool he used to do it."

She went silent again, a myriad of emotions tearing at her heart. It was a wonder that she hadn't gone completely numb.

"What happened to her?"

Saya jerked to awareness. Surprised at his question, she didn't answer him immediately.

"To the woman he loved?" She shrugged. "My sister…she-"

"She committed suicide."

Saya jumped to her feet while Itachi instantly held four kunai, turning around to see Katsutoshi approaching from behind them. How the hell had he snuck up on them? Saya smirked sardonically at him, the smirk twisting into another grimace.

His smile must have been a permanent fixture on his face, she thought. There were no soldiers accompanying him, though, Fuu could be seen in the shade behind him. She smiled and waved, her yellow standing bright against the backdrop of greenery. Katsu drew a thin sword from his side, it's white silver like a strip of solid lightning.

"Hello, Sa-chan. Just how long did you think you could hide?" He pointed his sword at her. "You know better."

"Who said I was hiding?" She quipped. "I was giving the Uchiha here a tour."

"How thoughtful." He took a step back, leaning lightly on one foot. "But now that we're done playing games, how about we get to business, hm?" His eyes flashed maliciously, and Itachi knew then that this man meant to kill their charge.

"Fuu?"

The girl hopped forward, a giggle escaping her closed lips.

"Yes, Katsutoshi-sama?" She sang sweetly.

"Why don't you play with Saya's friend for a bit, keep him entertained." He said while keeping his stare on the smirking woman. Fuu clapped her hands together, and as she pulled them part, thin, nearly transparent threads appeared between her fingers in a spider web of twine.

"Sure, Katsutoshi-sama!" She hopped and spun in a circle, coming closer to Itachi. "Please take care of me, Uchiha Itachi-san." Then with a flick of her wrists, an innumerable pattern of threads spun outward, blocking Saya and Katsu away from Itachi and her, entangling them in network of spinning thread. Just before the last spaces closed, though, Saya and Itachi locked eyes, hers determined and his spinning with dangerous waves of cool regard.

"Now Sa-chan, I believe there is something we must finish." She turned back to the man that stood with the smiling face.

Smiling a smile that smiles without smiling, a funny way to look when no one's looking at all. Why would Katsu smile that smile if she already knew what smile it was? A smile's a smile, and really, it's easier than frowning, she supposed. But damn…she really hated that look he gave her.

"I'm just wondering, Katsu, what I did to make you hate me so much." She slid her feet apart, the grass beneath them making her slide easily.

"Perhaps once I run my blade through you, you will know?" He quarried, tilting his head.

She chuckled darkly, the old tanto sitting firmly against her hip just tucked inside her pants. She wondered what she could possibly defend herself with, after all, she had pictured fighting him with her techniques. And wouldn't you know it? Her chakra was so limited that even a few substitution jutsus would tire her out.

She rushed him as fast as her feet would carry her, feinting to the right before swinging around to the left and kicking upward. He blocked with his katana, of course, before she fell backward onto her hands, planting a spin-kick towards his chest, which did exactly what she wanted it to do: force him back.

What she didn't expect, though, was for his hand to pop out of the ground beneath her like a freakin daisy. It grabbed her wrist, pinning her down and giving him an opening to slice her open. He swung down on her, but she flipped over and slashed his hand with her blade. The sheath fell away as she danced backwards, only to meet him once again, his sword against her dagger.

"Having fun, Sa-chan?" He pushed harder against her, towering over her with a looming gait.

"Loads." She gritted out, slipping from beneath his presence and twisting around just in time to catch another blow. They traded hits back and forth as she weaved through his advances and he blocked hers.

_This isn't exactly the epic battle I pictured _, she thought to herself with a half amused laugh, ducking under a jab. But the laugh came out too husky and was more of a cough. Spinning on her heel, she avoided another swipe at her arm, gaining a small cut along her upper muscle.

"Tch." She backhanded his wrist, swatting away his attempt to cut something vital near her neck. She thought she would be able to handle this regardless of circumstances, but she suddenly felt fuzzy. Her tongue was heavy, as were her limbs, and the tree's were soaking in the colors around them. Greens and yellows and browns and…The ground was funny too. Why wouldn't it stop moving? It was eating her feet, the bushes laughing at her with strange faces.

"What is this..?" She whispered hoarsely to herself, squinting her eyes in an attempt to settle her sight. A cool sweat broke out on her back, little pinpricks of ice stabbing in and out of her pores.

She blinked.

Where was Katsu..?

A pain. There was a pain in her stomach, and it made her want to retch. It sorta felt like a hangover, only it felt solid and warmer than the rest of her body. An urge to cough crawled up her throat, tickling her insides until a bit of spittle exploded from her mouth. Her mouth tasted like metal too, almost like…

Her eyes focused downward, where she saw someone's arm coming out of her gut. Was she supposed to have three arms? That was a funny thing…

**Wait.**

Looking up, she raised her eyes to Katsu's, which gleamed with a terrible humor.

"Watch it, Sa-chan. Your insides are out."

With a cruel yank, he released Saya from his hold, allowing her to fall on her face. Her tanto fell away with a noiseless clatter, lost from her field of vision. She couldn't move right. Her hands were numb, and her feet were cold. She felt like she was leaking somewhere, like the hallucination she'd had in the cave.

It was pouring out of her, so maybe she'd drown?

"K-katsu…" She spat, little spatters of blood-mixed saliva coating the grass next to her.

"Yes, Sa-chan?" He sheathed his sword, squatting beside her head.

"W-w-what…w-what d-did you…?" She felt a piece of her shiver, knowing that the Uchiha would be pissed at her for falling down.

"What did I do?" He asked thoughtfully. "Don't you remember? Sa-chan, I thought you knew me better than that." He cupped a cheek, watching her struggle to move her arms. "I'll remind you then, hm? The plants around here are really very interesting. When Jin, you, and I would sit by the tree, I would collect samples and do research on them. Some were very useful at cleaning infection, many were good at curing stomach pains and arthritis. And if you mix a few together, you can even produce toxins that nullify basic body functions." He grabbed a fistful of her hair, dragging her up with him as he stood. "I think it's rather creative to lace my blades with my creations, don't you think Saya?"

Damn. That one little cut, eh Saya? She grinned with a shudder, blood running down her chin.

"Sneaky bastard." She said in a garbled voice.

"I like to think of it as efficient." He told her. "Now, I would like to tie up these loose ends. But before I do that, I want you to recite the Maō Gijutsu to me, if you will."

"Kiss my ass."

He tightened his grip, ripping out a bit of hair from her scalp.

"I know you remember, Saya. And I want you to tell me it. I don't know what deal you've made with Akatsuki, but I now know it has something to do with that technique." He informed her, snaking his hand down to her wound. Poking a single finger inside, he prodded her raw flesh, and with effort, she bit the inside of her cheek, breathing hard and trying not to scream.

"Fuck…you!" She gasped, her glazed eyes shooting daggers into his own.

"Wrong answer."

She didn't know how much longer she could hold back that scream. It wanted to tear through her lips, and there was a creeping black inching along her vision. Maybe she'd die?

A shriek followed by a wave of smoldering heat came from her left, the webbing that Fuu had created melting beneath a wave of flame. She couldn't see what was going on, but from the sounds of things it seemed that Itachi had kicked some ass.

"Hmph." Katsu sighed, his smile unfaltering as he watched the Uchiha walk from beneath a canopy of burns and scorch marks. Fuu lay unconscious on the earth, her clothes charred and her hair muddy. "Disappointing." He said lowly, his eyes flickering to Fuu's body and back to Itachi's glaring eyes.

Itachi reassessed the situation, noting the bloody mess that was Saya's torso and the position they were in, stopping only when he was a few paces away.

"Uchiha Itachi, I see my subordinate was no match for you."

Saya couldn't manage a smirk, but she could speak just fine.

"Obviously, boke."

He pinched her insides, urging a hiss from her. She was just about to curse at him, maybe spit on his face or on that nice white haori, but then she was falling. A blur of black and red, Itachi, trading blows with Katsu. Something, probably the hole in her, was making her fade in and out of awareness, making her lose track of time and reality. She wanted to laugh at herself but couldn't find the drive to do it, and as sleep dragged here deep inside herself, something passed through as a question in her mind.

_Where do the damned go when they can't go to Hell? _

Itachi, however, was more than a match for Katsu. He knew it, Katsu knew it. And while they both knew it, Katsu would still win. Fighting dirty obviously wasn't beneath Katsu, and that went many ways.

Despite this fact, Itachi held himself back from overwhelming his opponent. This was why Katsu would win, after all. Uchihas weren't idiots, and Itachi was more than that: He knew that killing the sotaicho like this would make the situation bad. Still, he would have to find an opening in order to escape with Saya and treat her wound before she was too far gone.

"Second technique, smokescreen bubbles!"

Itachi clicked his eyes back towards behind Saya, catching a glimpse of a petite, short figure with hands combined. A myriad of bubbles burst forth, clouding the area between Itachi and Katsu as well as Fuu. It was like a barrier of grey clouds, shielding each side from sight and nearly sound.

"Come on!" The figure urged, attempting to pick up Saya, nearly dropping her as she settled limply on his back. It was a boy, maybe Itachi's age from the looks of it. He was at least a head shorter than said Uchiha, though, and looked as though he were staring death in the eye. "Hurry, before all the bubbles pop."

Itachi, without retort, turned to him and followed at a quick sprint as they left behind the clearing and rushed into the first row of barracks. Past turns and twists they found themselves in a thick bamboo grove, completely hiding them from any eyes and muting their steps with deep clunks between shifting branches. Itachi observed the boy and found that he was sweating terribly. He was also pale, if not a sallow pallid. He wore a simple royal blue yukata, decked only with a twine of white bandages around his waist and arms. There was a small pack at his waist as well, a shell insignia stitched into its base.

They emerged from the grove, arriving at an overgrown garden laced with vines and thick weeds. Beyond that was a house, a less grander version of the main manor Itachi had walked through earlier.

The house looked faded, like in an old photo that was stuffed into a drawer and not looked at for a long while. The boy scrambled onto the hanging, panting while leveling himself and then working to slide open a paper doorway. He waved for Itachi to follow him inside.

With a quick assessment, Itachi decided to quietly enter the room and close the door behind him.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but I should be able to clot the wound. The jagged entry will have to be seared…maybe."

Healing chakra enveloped his hands as he set them above her exposed stomach, the pale green glow radiating and casting a glow to the darkened room. Itachi was left standing but his eyes did not leave the pair on the ground.

"Who are you?"

The boy didn't look up from his task as he studied the skin around the impalement.

"Ito Minori." He chuckled shakily, "I'm not much here in the corps, but I'm good at medical jutsu."

The room was stuffed with stale air, coated in layers of dust that made it disagreeable to breathe. There were footprints on the floor where they had come in, upsetting the grey tone on the old wood boards and stirring it up inside the room.

It wasn't small but the furniture in it seemed to reduce its measures. There was something sad about the tea table, a wilted bunch of flowers pitifully dead in a small jar. There were straw mats nearly hidden under more dust, half a tea set sat on their edges but the remnants of shattered pieces were on the floor, the flower pattern on them just barely distinguishable. A vanity mirror and dresser designed close to the ground was across the room, jewelry and perfume bottles dimmed under the heavy oppression of time.

Minori sighed, wiping his brow before reaching back into his pouch and retrieving a roll of bandages and a tube of something unidentifiable. Itachi trusted the situation enough to inspect the room, a picture frame catching his eye. It sat on its side on the floor just a step away, the glass was cracked, distorting the photograph inside.

With a soft pluck, he picked it up and saw that the picture held something he'd seen before. It was a younger Saya, clothed in a summer yukata with three swords strapped at her waist. Her hair was short clipped, messy and girlish compared to her current long hair, just like it had been in the memory Itachi had discovered. But beside her was an unknown woman, her hair pinned up with ornaments, revealing a decorated smiling face. She was dressed in a lavender kimono, her hands politely folded on her lap and her expression gentle, a stunning but pleasant contrast with Saya's folded arms and crooked smirk.

A small whimper came from behind him as Saya shifted slightly against Minori's swift bandaging. She didn't wake, and instead settled back against the floor with a sigh. The boy tied up his remaining gauze and capped his salve, placing them beside himself. Hearing Itachi's unspoken question, he sighed.

"You're probably wondering why I'm helping you…" Minori shuddered slightly, not daring enough to meet an Akatsuki member's eyes, especially eyes like those.

"Hn."

He gulped, wondering how to best approach the subject. His hands, which had been steady whilst attending to Saya, now shook with a small tremor, a nervous fear quaking from inside him. He balled his fists on his lap in attempt to still himself, his flat black hair falling into his eyes and tickling his nose. It was cut short in the back, but his bangs were longer and cut to shape his face.

Without warning, he sneezed loudly, which was followed by another and another. With a helpless expression he turned to Itachi, rubbing his nose with a hankie he grabbed from his pack. Itachi's lips curved minutely, an amused expression flittering across his face for a moment and allowing Minori's shoulders to sag. The sneezes seemed to release his jitters, leaving only a strong sinus headache and a stuffy nose.

"Sorry, I'm allergic to dust." He mumbled, looking away.

"It's fine."

He fumbled with his hands while folding his kerchief, pushing it inside his sleeve and looking back across the room.

"I had the chance a long time ago…To do something right." He worked the words out slowly. "But I was too scared to do it, and because of my cowardice, Sayuri-dono was exiled. This is my chance to help her, to make up for what I didn't do back then." His head suddenly jerked up, his eyes clear and wide as he stared at Itachi.

"Do you know why Sayuri-dono was banished?" He asked in a rush of breath.

He got no reply but the look conveyed his answer. Minori fidgeted again.

"S-she was framed for murder. Twice." He stuttered. "I accidentally overheard Katsutoshi-sama telling Sayuri-dono." He paused, frowning. "I hadn't meant to, but I was walking back to the barracks one night. The senior men had pushed me into doing their laundry again, and so I had to get up really early that morning. But on my way back I heard a cry and some shouting. It sounded really upsetting and just past an alcove of bush I was next to, so I decided to see what was going on."

"Sayuri-dono was there with Katsutoshi-sama. She said something about lying, that he had been wearing something..? I still don't remember. I thought maybe they were having an argument, I knew they were good friends. Everyone knew that Fujikage Jin and Sato Katsutoshi were best friends with Sayuri-dono." He sighed.

"But then I heard something that Katsutoshi-sama said, and I knew something worse was happening. He started talking about control and murder, that she should have noticed sooner and now it was too late. I hadn't noticed second lieutenant Fujikage Jin. He…he was lying on the ground, and there was a lot of blood. It was then I realized what Katsutoshi-sama going on about." His frown deepened as it transformed into a scowl.

"He murdered the lieutenant and framed Sayuri-sama. He betray his two best friends and had one of them _blamed_ for the murder of the other."

* * *

Kisame hadn't ever actually been caught and imprisoned, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen the inside of a cell before. Most of the ones he had visited were fairly gritty, and always dark and dimly lit.

So when he finally found the entrance to the cells, he was surprised to find a pristine hallway lit brightly with petite lanterns. It was sort of…classy.

He took care of mild opposition from a small group of guards, though he didn't bother killing them. It was easy enough knocking them out and kicking them aside: There wasn't any fun in killing small fry. That, he thought, would be more like shooting fish in a barrel. There was no fun or sport in a slaughter like that.

The prison was made up of several short hallways, carved out of the cliffs and simply designed. There weren't many doors to check, so when he finally came to one bolted particularly heavily, he knew that he'd found his target. A few seals kept the door up, but with a few touches of his own he had it unlocked and open.

The cell was a void of darkness, much darker than he had anticipated. The light from the hall provided a line of illumination across the room's length, revealing a form at its far end that was bound in dense chain and covered with slips of scrawled seals. The chains looked like they were bolted to the stone floor, troublesome but not impossible, and there were wards all over the place. After working through a combination of handsigns, he heaved his huge blade and made quick work of the binding, the containment seal snapping and fading away.

A backlash reverted the chains to black shadows, which encircled Kisame like striking snakes and weaving around his limbs and torso.

"Hmp." He grunted, making a movement and slicing away the restraints. "A hell of a lot of work to go through for just one guy."

The second wave of security jutsu activated, sending spikes deep into the floor with newly formed chains to envelope the jinchuuriki. Growling, Kisame cleaved at them again and disabled the backlash with a rapid dash and counterattack. He huffed as the chains reformed again.

"You have to destroy the chains with jutsu."

Kisame whipped around to see the slight girl from before. Her white hair lit up in the darkness, making her eyes seem dark and dangerous.

"What're you doing here, gaki?"

"Helping you."

Kisame watched her curiously with hardened eyes.

"Why?"

She stepped forward softly, stopping just beside him as she stared down at the spikes embedded in the stone.

"Because I wish to."

"Hmph, whatever. Just don't get in my way."

He eyed her one more time before using a mist jutsu to eat away at the chains. No recoil was activated, allowing him to work through the rest of the smaller seals and release the man. He was left bound in large metal handcuffs and some type of cloth draped around his head. Besides that he was stripped down to a simple white shirt and scuffed pants, any other feature hidden in the darkness.

"Do not remove the seal from his face, or he will wake up." Yin said placidly, her voice icy and flat.

Kisame sheathed Samehada and flipped the man over his shoulder, eyeing the girl once more.

"You're not like the other brat."

"I do not share Fuu's ambitions." She told him.

"Then just what do you plan to do? Aiding me makes you a traitor." He couldn't care less what happened to the girl, but there was something off about her attitude. He couldn't figure it, but he got the feeling this girl shouldn't be trusted despite her claim.

"Being a traitor requires one to cast away an allegiance with something or someone. My allegiance has never belonged to Sato Katsutoshi." She said simply, walking ahead of him and into the flickering brilliance of light.

**Whoa, there it is.**

**One last chapter of this melodrama and then, vuala, fluff. **

**Yeah, I know, I know. You want some hot Kisame action right? Eh, it's coming up. You'll see.**

**Thanks for all your reviews, I really do appreciate them, like, a lot. They're a huge motivation. **

**And if **_**you**_** want to thank anyone for this chapter, then thank Riley Killer for sending me that cute little e-mail that utterly pushed me over the proverbial edge and egged me on to finish this today. I can't wait to read her new story, 'cause really, all her story's rock my socks. Thank you guys also for your feedback on my last question, it helped me make a decision.**

**By the way, does anyone know if Tite Kubo is even alive? His name isn't on the list of celebrity survivors, and I'm starting to sweat. **

***Boke means dumb, stupid, clueless**

**~Serb**


	23. Ch 23: White Wisteria

_We are fish in front of the waterfall._  
_We are insects inside the cage._

_We are the ruins of the billows,_  
_The skull on the crosier,_  
_The force of the torrent and the whale that drinks it._

_We are the five-horned bull._  
_We are the fire-breathing monster._  
_And the screaming children._

_Oh, we are_  
_poisoned by the moonlight._

**-Tite Kubo**

"_I met a girl today." _

_Saya languidly sat on a tree branch, one leg kicking back and forth over the edge. The wood chimes tangled with one another, their sounds like deep chuckles against the afternoon wind. Something like a sunset drifted across the purple sky, an echo of nostalgia and sweet things permeating the summer air. Jin sat against the trunk, the small, uneven, doll-like shrines around his legs housing little holes for fiddler and stone crabs, all hidden from sight. His arms were wrapped around his knee's, a dreary-eyed expression coating his features. _

"_You know what she told me? She told me she never wanted to die. She said she wanted to live forever." She chuckled, it's sound almost lost to the waves. _

"_Tch." Jin snorted. "Kids shouldn't be talking like that. They're too young to be thinking about things like death."_

_Saya didn't answer, instead she leaned heavily against the trunk as well. _

"_Saya, do you remember when we first met?" _

_A crooked smirk found its way on her face, nearly working into another laugh._

"_Yeah, you were a little monster. First thing you said to me was, 'Who wants to be friends with a girl?'" She folded her fingers. "Showed you. That punch to the face changed your mind real quick." _

"_You shouldn't be talking, __**Koneko-chan**__." He smirked at the old joke, glancing upwards to see her playful smile. Their eyes met, amber against coal. _

_Saya tilted her head back, closing her eyes with a content breath. The breeze played with a few strands of her short hair, tickling her nose. _

"_Jin, do you know why trees have bark?"_

_Jin quirked a brow._

"_That's a weird question. Why do you want to know?"_

_She shrugged lightly, folding her hands behind her head._

"_I met this old woman the other day. It was while me and the guys were on our way back from the encampment, in a small fishing village. I had some time to kill and I was craving ice cream, so I decided to walk around and I ended up in her shop, the old woman's." Saya felt a sudden pull of drowsiness tug from behind her eyes._

"_Is all you think about food, fatso?"_

"_Shut it, boke. I'm not the one who goes around borrowing other peoples things and never giving them back, freeloader."_

"_Why don't you come down here and say-"_

"_Anyway," she interrupted him, "As I was saying. The obachan had a bunch of odd stuff that caught my attention, but before I could look at much of anything, she asked me that question. I found her sitting at this little table with a card in her hand, so I thought that maybe she was a fortune teller as well as a shop keeper? Anyway, she asked me that question but I couldn't really answer it." Saya shrugged, looking up to the sky._

_Jin didn't answer, and for a moment she thought maybe he'd fallen asleep at her explanation or was still red under the collar about what she'd said. Kicking her shoe off, she aimed right at his head and launched it. _

"_Damn it!" Jin rubbed the sore spot, scowling down at heavy geta sandal before glaring lazily at Saya. "What was that for?"_

"_Oh, I thought you fell asleep." She said convincingly._

"_Tch." He continued to rub his head. "You really want an answer?"_

"_That's why I asked you, dobe."_

"_Idiot."_

"_Loser."_

"_Fatso."_

_Another sandal collided with the top of his skull, making him fall forward slightly. He muttered incoherently under his breath, soothing the throb shuddering along his scalp. Minutes passed in silence as the question remained unanswered, only a distant laughter carried by the breeze haunting their ears. _

"_To protect."_

"_What?" Saya frowned but did not open her eyes._

"_The bark is there so it can protect the tree. It's like… a knight in brown, unasked and unrewarded for its protection. It's there because it is, because it's naturally supposed to be." _

_Saya sat peaceably, soaking in his words and running her fingers through them. Jin always was a romantic, but there was something sad about the way he had said it. _

"_Dramatic, but it's better than the answer I came up with." She conceded. _

"_What was is you told her?"_

"_Meh, none of your business."_

"_Why, too embarrassed to tell me, Saya?"_

_She chuckled breathily, lulling again from a deep drowse draping over her. There was something calming and all together pacifying about the dusk, something that pulled her away from all the paperwork waiting for her in her room and all the terribly horrifying things that loved to tease her. _

_Shinobi endure…that's what she'd been told as a child. Despite the dead and the lost, shinobi endure and endure silently. Was that what Jin was referring to, or was it something else? As this thought occurred, a queasy clench gripped her stomach, twirling her head into dizzying tumults. _

"_Ne, Jin," she called out, "Do you feel that?" The air was stiflingly thick with a heavy musk and reeking with a scent she couldn't recognize. "Jin?" _

_She opened her eyes and was met with purple night. Taken aback, she searched the base of the tree for her companion but found only empty space and a lonely chill. _

"_Jin?" she looked out to the beach but only saw dark waves of a void too deep to comprehend. It was at this moment that Saya realized there was no wind, no clatter of the chimes, and no sound other than a deep breathing that hummed as if someone were suffocating. "Jin?" She looked back down at the small shrines when she saw movement, but it wasn't Jin that she found. A rather large crab scuttled out from one of the houses, slowly making its way near the tree. When it stopped, its eyes popped out from its shell. _

_They weren't eyes. _

_What were they?_

_Saya gasped, holding a palm against her mouth to keep from doing any more. The crab's face was distorted, screwed into something grotesque and unnatural. Bubbles curled around its mouth, falling onto the ground and sticking to its legs as it moved forward with deliberate slides. More crawled from their small enclosures, circling around the trunk, bubbling and hissing and glaring hatefully up at Saya. _

_There was something else too. She couldn't really see, not with all the shadows unfurling around her, but shapes in the darkness took form and began crawling up towards her. Their eyes were a sickly green, almost mint, and they cooed loose, incoherent sounds. Their movements were irregular, jerky and strained, as if it physically hurt them to move at all._

_She couldn't understand what was happening, but she knew she had to climb higher. She had to get away, as far away as possible before the shapes caught up with her. Without thinking more, she began climbing the tree, pulling herself up each branch and heading higher towards the desolate sky. No matter how fast she climbed, though, the shadows seemed to gain on her with terrifying speed. _

_It was as she heaved one hand over a particularly thin branch that a round object caught her attention. It was just next to her face, and once she recognized what it was she couldn't help but lose her grip. _

_A persimmon. _

_The knowledge struck her, snatching away her breath before she could right herself. She fell backwards and slipped away into the embracing ocean of eyes and bubbles, feeling arms run along her limbs and little pricks bite into her sides. The breathing flooded her ears before stopping altogether, leaving only the sound of munching to sate her wonder. _

_Crunch._

_Crunch._

_Crunch._

_Little by little she felt herself being nibbled away by tiny mouths, only the thought of the persimmon in her mind. _

_**You mustn't carelessly climb persimmon trees, Saya.**_

_The brief sensation of being eaten alive, her guts being slurped up and her flesh being ripped away, would have garbled her understanding if not for the thought of the persimmon. _

_**If a persimmon tree grows on my grave, will you kindly climb up it and be swallowed by Hell?**_

"_Misa…" she whispered soundlessly. What were persimmons good for? _

_Eating?_

_Was something eating her?_

_Misa…_

_She smirked cynically._

"_Ja ne."_

_**Crunch.**_

_**Crunch.**_

_**Crunch.**_

* * *

Saya's eyes fluttered open, the darkness of wherever she was comforting considering the sensitivity of her headache. Well, it was more of a migraine, if she wanted to be finicky about it. Seriously, how hammered had she gotten last night?

She pressed on her eyes hard, catching bright flashes behind her lids, synched with the pulsating ache. The oppressing scent of musk and damp wood infiltrated her nose, nearly making her cough or sneeze. It wasn't bad enough that her head was split open and her stomach was inside out, but now she was in some strange, stinky place as well?

Ugh, of course she'd wake up like this. When hadn't she for the last few years?

But of course she was used to it, though, that didn't mean she liked it. She'd never actually enjoyed drinking before she was persecuted, in fact, the only time she _did_ drink was when her anger got the best of her. She faintly recalled one time when she'd gotten into a heated discussion with Daichi over the matter of inhibiting hostage retrieval missions when requested by smaller villages. That frustrating old man was such a narcissistic bastard, it wasn't like the villages weren't paying them for their work. According to him, such missions were _beneath_ them, and should be dealt with by local authorities. She hadn't let the issue go before she punched a hole in the wall and threw a vase, leaving the meeting in a flurry of cotton summer wear.

That night, she went on a binge that was so bad, none of her captains dared to even _think_ of treading within a relative distance of her room the next day. In fact, the only reason she'd gotten out of bed at all was because Jin had dumped a pail of dead fish on her, to which she promptly raced to the side of the balcony and heaved whatever was left in her stomach.

At the thought, her stomach rolled as something curdled, scrunching up her insides while pushing bile up her throat.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna hurl." She moaned, slowly rubbing her hand across her face. "I feel like shit."

"You look like shit."

The all too familiar graveled voice nearly yanked her up into a sitting position. Then, with another groan, she peeked one eye open.

"Hoshigake," she started, noticing his hulking form sitting against a wall, "What happened?"

A terrible, quivering pain shot through her again, this time making her grip her stomach. Amongst the pain and waves of queasiness, she realized that she was only covered in dressing and bandages, otherwise making her shirtless. With a heave, she managed to drag herself upright, cringing when her abdominal muscles tightened and a spasm twisted tightly. The bland taste of blood coated the inside of her mouth, but the memories behind the pain and blood were still fuzzy.

"What happened?" She asked again softly, tracing the pads of her finger tips along the lines of the bandages unconsciously.

"You got your ass handed to you is what happened." He grunted, crossing his arms with a frown. "You're troublesome, onna. You have this kid to thank that you're alive." He nodded towards Minori, who sat politely huddled just behind her. She looked over her shoulder, perusing him over with a tired glance.

"Huh. I think I've seen you before…" She trailed off. "Oh, you're that mushroom-faced guy from this morning."

"M-mushroom-faced?" He stuttered with a blush.

"Ne, did you know you scrunch up your nose when you pout like that? It might get stuck if you do it too much."

"H-hai, sotaicho-sama!" He immediately attempted to straighten his expression, though, the deep rouge that dusted on either cheek remained.

She swept her fingers along the dusty floor, rubbing her fingers together curiously. While her eyes trailed along the floor, certain details arose in her consciousness. The table beside her, nicks adorning its sides and a particularly long scar running along the center, was covered with small novels curtained in sand from years of neglect. Slowly, cautiously, she noticed other pieces around her.

An oak chest, opened and filled with rumpled clothes, sat near Kisame, as did three katanas which leaned against the side of the trunk.

One was sheathed in a black-wrapped scabbard, a star sapphire pommel just visible beneath the black tape. The other was a snakeskin citrine, laced with a crème ribbon around its ornament.

While these two were simply decorated, the third was rather unique. The casing was a peridot color, swirled cloud designs outlined in tufts of blooming smoke. The handle, taped in black, had fire-red wood encasing the guard, a bit wider than the others. The three swords were strapped together, as if meant to be worn at the same time by whomever wielded them.

The walls, tacked up with maps with red marker lines and pins, were lined with wear and soot. Scrolls piled along the edges of the room, too, making the small space more cluttered than it needed to be.

"How did I get here?" She asked softly.

How could a simple thing like a room make her feel so cold?

"S-sotaicho-sama…" Minori uttered, leaning forward on his knees, "You were wounded in battle against Sato Katsutoshi. I intervened when I saw Uchiha-san engaging in battle as well, distracting Katsutoshi-sama in order to enable you both safe passage. I brought you to this place because no one will think to look here." He exhaled in a rush.

"Oh?" She said, distracted. "Why's that?"

"Eto…that is, no one would expect you here, because it would be too obvious of a hiding place otherwise." He fidgeted. "At least, that is what I thought."

"Un, that's pretty good."

"T-thank you!" He shouted before clamming up again. "I mean, _thank you._ I just hope I am right." His slight smile turned down, his hands fisting against his pants. "Sotaicho-sama, your wound was very grave. Katsutoshi-sama administered a retrograde paralytic and hallucinogenic into your system. The dose was dangerously high and made blood clotting difficult, and with the extent of your wound, I had trouble keeping it closed." He shifted, shyly raising his eyes to her dull ones. They looked like glass, and he wondered whether or not she was actually listening to him.

"I was able to sear most of it shut, the stitching will help the healing that my chakra jump-started within you. Your reuptake should double and allow you to flush out any remnants of the drug. While you'll live, Sotaicho-sama, it would be bad if you fought any time soon."

She sat back on her hands.

"Don't call me that."

"Eh?"

"Don't call me by that title," she repeated, "I'm not that person anymore."

"H-hai, Sotaich- I mean, Sayuri-dono."

She sighed heavily, rubbing her head.

"Ne, where's the Uchiha?"

"In the other room." Kisame responded. "Can't you tell, or was all that garbage about locating chakra signatures just talk?"

"You shouldn't treat a woman too harshly, Hoshigake. They have terrible ways of retaliating."

"Tch, what're you gonna do, scratch me with your claws, Koneko-chan?" He opened one eye with a grin.

The pet name slammed into her. Her face remained impassive, but her heart rammed heavily in her chest. The nightmare replayed in her mind, as did the sounds of crunching bones and ripping flesh. Waving it away, she peered over at him with a sour frown.

"Did you catch the jinchuuriki?"

"That's another stupid question, onna."

"I'll take that as a yes, then. How did it go?"

"Heh, piece of cake."

"It did not seem that way when I arrived." The shoji door slid open to reveal a stoic Yin, her white kimono ghostly in the expanse of midnight.

"What do you know, bozu?"

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Saya found little tension between Kisame and the girl, so her shoulders relaxed. Though she didn't know the situation, Saya knew the girl was obviously not here to make trouble. There was nothing foreboding about her presence, only her usual chill.

Yin and Fuu were Katsutoshi's subordinates, his henchmen, his little demons for pulling together sinews of flesh to prod and poke.

Yin looked much the same as she had when Saya first met her, though the girl had been very young at the time. She had always reminded Saya of a porcelain doll, fragility and endurance twined together to form a ghost of winter. It hadn't been Saya's intention for either one of them to take part in any combat. It was Katsu who recruited them before Saya even left.

The girls had been found roaming together near an area swarmed with bandits, their clothes horribly ruined with both grit and blood. Saya and her fraction had been returning from a brief campaign when they'd discovered the girls, and after questioning them, they'd been taken into protective custody and treated kindly back at the estate by Saya personally. After making arrangements for them, though, Katsutoshi showed an interest in them, especially after their bloodlines had been exposed.

Would they have been better off if Saya'd never found them?

"Yin." Saya addressed her, leaning back against the table.

"Imatsura-san, I'm glad to see that you survived."

Saya couldn't help grinning as the girl made herself a seat before her, her ever-stoic expression a semi-welcome reminder of the past.

"Yeah, so am I. Tell me, though, just why it is that you're here, hm?"

She heard Kisame snort and thought that, if it weren't for the situation, she'd have loved to shove his foot into his mouth. The thought of him made her blood suddenly boil. After all, it _had_ been his fault that she'd cracked in front of Katsu before. His quips and side comments were fun when she had the patience for them, but dealing with the sarcasm in this setting was maddening. If he didn't shut it, she was going to filet the damn fish and roast him over a fire.

"There are some questions that require explanation. This is not one of them." She stared Saya in the eye.

"Whatever, Yin. If you're not here to raise the alarm, then it's not my problem. What's the Uchiha doing in the other room?"

"Uchiha-san is placing several genjutsus on the jinchuuriki, just in case he happens to wake up." Minori fingered the folds on his hakama, lowering his eyes with a nervous twitch.

So, they'd captured their target and were out of danger for the time being. As nice as that was, Saya still felt as if there was a coil in her stomach, wrung tight and tense and ready to spring.

A heavy sense of worthlessness settled on her shoulders, so heavy that she actually fell forward, flat on her face. She groaned dramatically, and continued moaning in expressive heaves.

"Sayuri-dono!"

Minori reached out worriedly towards her, but Kisame's response kept him from reevaluating her wound.

"I didn't take you for being a sore loser, onna." He closed his eyes. "Knock it off."

"Idmand looshin, bfut he cheated." She slurred against the wood, a slight puddle of drool forming under her face. Minori shifted towards Yin, holding a hand up to his mouth.

"What did she say?"

"I said I don't mind losing, but that snake Katsutoshi cheated." She repeated, wiping excess saliva along her wrist. Then, noticing the puddle, she made a face and tried rubbing it away with her hand.

Without looking at him, she wiped it off onto Minori's sleeve, causing him to choke on a disgusted squeal.

"S-sayuri-dono!"

"He used that plant-mojo instead of facing me like a man."

"Of course he would, Imatsura-san. He was trying to kill you, after all."

Saya deadpanned at Yin, pointing at herself.

"Did you not hear me? I said he used his plant-mojo. _Plant_." She crossed her arms. "What a wuss."

"That wuss kicked your ass and almost killed you, boke. So what does that make you?" Kisame didn't bother opening his eyes to see the twitch in Saya's eye.

She sighed.

"That's a good question. What _does_ that make me?" Picking herself up, Saya walked away and slid open the door, looking up into the nearly shaded sky. The scarred face of the moon peered down at her, enveloping the porch with silver light. Her torso felt the chill in the night air, her tender skin beneath the wrapping constricting with a twinge, reminding her of her utter defeat.

The door clacked shut.

"Sayuri-dono…" Minori stared sadly at the shoji, his head cocked to the side.

"Tch, stupid woman."

Kisame had realized the change in the rendezvous point immediately after he'd surfaced from the underground prison. Though he couldn't sense Itachi's chakra, it was easy enough understanding the whereabouts of his location. Whatever it was, the ring that was now on his finger provided him with a sort of telekinetic link to his partner, surely another side-effect of the summoning contract.

It was a bit surprising that the girl had known where they were as well, despite him saying nothing on the subject. She'd stayed ahead of him the entirety of their sneaking around, leading him to their ultimate destination without a sound of explanation.

Itachi had debriefed him on what had happened, starting with their hiding place in the grass and ending with Minori's explanation concerning Saya's betrayal. Kisame felt as if the younger man had left out a few details, but really, it didn't bother him in the least.

It was almost comical learning whose rooms they'd decided to hide in, though. The contrast between the feminine floral designs of the first room he'd entered and the clove-oiled weaponry of the second was like night and day. It was obvious that this so-called sister of the onna's was the exact opposite of her in nearly every way, at least by the smell and looks of it.

A room can say a lot about a person. Whether it be the pictures on the walls or the scent in the room, a single space can tell what would otherwise go unsaid. Whether the room belonged to a man or a woman depended on the wardrobe and underlying smell, sometimes the way the bed was kept or the color scheme. If there were carefully planned decorative pieces, then the person might be cultured and style-prone, if not, then sometimes there were just personal items lying about, an easy way to deduct the character of an individual.

Maybe the person was just a civilian, or maybe a shinobi? In that case, weapons might be accounted for, or perhaps just a looking glass and a bit of make-up. Was the person sloppy or neat, clothes thrown about the room or neatly color-coded into drawers? Did the person read much, with their own personal library, or did they prefer to care for plants, sheltering their room with plotted herbs and bamboo stems?

Yeah, a room can say a lot about a person, and hell, each of the rooms Kisame had seen had a mouthful to speak. The first was smothered in the scent of jasmine and tea, even after the obvious years of abandonment. The neatly hung silk kimonos said that whoever she was, she preferred order and class. The expensive ornaments and cracked face paint said that she cared about appearance and did much to keep up with it, as did her shattered tea set and table decorations.

When the kid, Minori, had transferred Saya into the room beside them, it was like a whole different world, one utterly familiar to him.

As opposed to the lavender color of her sister's room, Saya's was an aged yellow and brown, a soft aroma of lemongrass and cloves faintly attached to the walls. Actually, now that he thought of it, the onna smelled much the same.

Weapons and battle tactics littered the room. It was a scene Kisame was accustomed to, unlike the womanish veil of the former. He already knew what most of this room had to say.

His eyes traveled over to the three katanas he'd previously noticed upon his entrance, the length of each blade spurring gears in his mind. Wordlessly, he stood and retrieved them, following Saya outside and leaving the two kids with each other. Saya sat against a banister, her head resting against it as she stared out across the garden. He sat beside her, unsheathing one of the swords halfway to allow the slight shine from the moon to glare off the polished metal.

"It's a good sword." He appraised, his eyes shining with years of expertise.

"They all are." She responded, her voice husky. She kept her gaze away from him, "They used to be my weapons of choice."

He continued to inspect the pommel, the color minutely interesting, before looking over the others.

"Why'd you leave them behind?"

"Hell if I know," she sighed, "I could have used them a few times, especially when I was in that pinch near the capital." She spoke airily, almost to herself, though, Kisame knew better. There was a tenseness beneath the casualty of her answer.

"But if I think about it enough," she looked at him, "I guess it was because I lost my pride."

He stared at her for a moment before smirking.

"So what's taking you so long?"

She raised a brow.

"Nani?"

"Your pride. Haven't you found it yet?"

She sat stunned, her eyes wide and unblinking. For the first in a long time she could say nothing, only gape at him with tight, thin lips. A frog croaked somewhere, the gurgled sound crude against the silence.

Lowering her head, she smirked.

"No, not yet. But once I lop off that bastard's head, I'll have it firmly in my grasp." Her smirk widened to a crooked grin as she met his eyes, both of them harboring something sharp and feral about them.

The moon laughed.

* * *

Katsutoshi was a man of many talents and hobbies. Though, by far, viticulture was his most favorite. Long ago he'd installed a greenhouse as his main residence, the windy and harsh environment of the cliffs too rough for cultivated plants. Though the climate itself was perfect, her preferred maintaining his own within the glass room for many purposes, none of which he cared to explain to his questioning subordinates.

The chamber was lined with an array of both colorful and mundane organisms, ranging from simple Silkweed to Water Hemlock. Some of the plants were encased with glass, the noxious fumes they emitted too fatal to keep in the open air. Most of them hung from the ceiling, while the other, less noxious ones were left to slither around the confines of the walls.

Running water snaked through in small aquifers, the humidity amplified with the presence of it and the warmly kept air. The overwhelming scents lingered around him like teeming snakes, coiling and hissing with streams of sinew.

Katsu rubbed a leaf tentatively as a knock was made against the sliding door.

"Come in."

The man entered, his face covered by a simple white plate painted with a symbol of an eye. It was the same man who'd informed Saya of Saito's betrayal. He bowed with a fist to the ground.

"Sotaicho. I have located the intruders in the late Imatsura clan's quarters. How do you bid me proceed?"

"Tell me, Gakuto, do you know what happens to a salamander when its tail is held?"

The kneeling man raised his head, though, he did not lift his eyes.

"The tail rips off and it escapes unharmed."

The frosted panes of the walls were built only for the strong rays of the sun, though, thin moonbeams cascaded down and enough light dripped in for visibility. The night seemed foreboding, even to the man on his knees.

"Ah, that's right. The snake is quite different, though, isn't it? While the salamander escapes with only a lost limb, the snake writhes until it bleeds to death." Katsu released the stem and looked down onto his servant. "Gakuto, what do you think I am, the salamander that adapts and survives, or the snake that pitifully thrashes about once dealt a lethal blow?"

An awkward silence.

"Sir?"

Katsu smiled knowingly and turned back to his sprout.

"Do nothing for now, though, confront them if they decide to attempt escape. I will call for you when I am ready."

Standing, the man bowed again, turning with military posture and footing.

"Sotaicho…I personally do not see you as either. Instead of such lowly creatures, I believe you are more like a dragon of the south. Should your limb become severed, you will devour your enemy in a single bite."

Amusing.

"You think too highly of me, Gakuto. I am only a man."

"Sir."

The masked man left, closing the door silently behind him. Katsu watched the flowing water, little slices of white light reflecting off its surface.

_I am only a man._

He sneered.

"No, not even that."

The moon wept.

**So I suck at updating. **

**Eh, what can I say? My motivation has just about plummeted, and with all the end-of-the-year activities, I've been up to my elbows in work. **

**Oh, and I guess I also lied. **

**I said this would be the last chapter before little arcs following the main plot of Naruto, but I figured I should split this precipice chapter and the final showdown into two. **

**I would like to take a minute and thank all my new followers as well as my old ones. It's the thought of you guys reading this and actually enjoying it that has motivated me the whole time, so I sure hope like hell you enjoyed it.**

**Reviews are appreciated.**

**-Serb**


	24. Ch 24: Skeleton of Summer

We stand here unsuspecting, unaware of the sun behind the moon.

Without the brilliance of the sun, the moon would remain as just another ashen face in the night.

Who are we without the sun?

Is the darling thief prepared for sundown, when the noose hangs loose before the rising moon?

Is her pocket full of shade and stars, or is her only treasure the memories of an empty childhood?

She is the mother of the coddled child, the sister of the battered son, the daughter of the destitute father…

She is the woman on the gallows, her final words hollow and sad… beyond that she is the lady strung with tears, free and hanged and beautiful. She is you, she is me, she is the everlasting ghost on the edge of the world.

Her last words…  
_  
Farewell, Cosette._

* * *

Honestly, Saya didn't wholly mind kimonos. It was formal dress that she couldn't stand, being wrapped up in layer after layer of silk and thickly sewn obi. However, her sister's wardrobe was, surprisingly, mostly adorned with simple dresses decorated in floral and animal designs, much like the things their mother used to wear on sweltering summer days.

Saya's own array was moth-eaten, her old clothes ruined simply because she'd left the lid of the trunk open for so many years. The sight of her old hakama with holes in them, while minutely amusing, left only her sister's closet as a source of attire, which really, Saya didn't find funny at all.

Slipping the smooth fabric over her shoulders was difficult with her torso, the wound under the bandages sensitive to each twist and move she made. The fabric she chose had a grey egret stitched into it, the blue tint of the overall dress highly stylish while accompanied by the thin, black obi. Rather than constricting her legs with tightly bound material, she left the opening of the dress loosely bound, much like one would wear a mundane bath robe.

The man in the corner made no sound, not even a whimper, but still his presence in the room was obvious. The Uchiha had left to allow her some privacy, leaving only the jinchuuriki, dead to the world, seated in a corner of the room.

He looked so…normal.

Was a demon supposed to look so ordinary?

She pulled her hair and twisted it onto her head, the mass of it heavy and in tangles. Swiping a few pins from the vanity, she secured its length with quick fingers, watching the man out of the corner of her eye.

But how could anyone look intimidating in only underclothes and handcuffs? She wondered what his face looked like beneath the seal, if he was as rugged as he appeared to be considering his thick-muscled build and broad shoulders. With a pat, she left her hair and turned to the man in question, a frown marring her face as she approached the corner. Squatting before his outturned legs and sagged torso, she cocked her head to the side and leaned into her hand.

What was his name again? She'd heard it mentioned somewhere before, though now it eluded her. She could tell from the outlines of the seal that he had facial hair, and the sheer mass of his body lead her to believe he was quite a bit older than she'd originally pictured him. Her frown flattened to a minor quirk, her eyes closing silently.

Han.

His name was Han.

She wondered, though only fleetingly, what Han might be dreaming of beneath that seal?

A knock on the door dragged her from her musing, and with a quick call, she beckoned them to enter. The door slid open, revealing a passive Yin. Saya stayed as she was, not bothering to turn and greet the girl with any sort of pleasantry or acknowledgement, though, the girl seemed not to care anyway.

"Sayuri-san." Yin slid down to sit at the table, a dainty cushion comfortably beneath her. "I would like to speak with you for a moment."

"Hm?"

Saya's wound throbbed against her position, and rather than irritate it, she gently leaned herself onto the floor, sitting beside the five-tailed container and leaning her head against the wall. She watched Yin tiredly, a smirk taunting the younger girl with maniacal silence. Despite Saya's expression, she continued calmly, cool as ice.

"Are you going to kill him?"

Bringing a knee up, Saya tossed an arm over her leg and slung the other over the shoulders of the unconscious Han. "It would be fairly rude to murder someone in their sleep, Yin."

"Rude though it may be, you know of which man I speak. Sayuri-san, do you intend to continue sitting on the fence you've always seemed to adore, or will you finally pick a side?" Yin reached forward and lightly ran her fingers over a petite cup, raising her eyes to Saya's only after she retracted her hand. "Sayuri, will you kill the only remnant of your previous life?"

Yin did not expect the bark of laughter Saya coughed up, neither did she expect the grin on her face. Of course, she did not betray her inner surprise, her only facial feature that of complete and utter detachment.

"What a wonderful metaphor! A fence, yes, that describes me perfectly, doesn't it?" The laughter stilled, though, her untamed appearance lingered. "Don't trouble yourself over it, Yin. You're master will find his end one way or another by the end of the day." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Or, considering we've been hiding most of the day, he'll probably find it by dawn."

She sighed, leaning against the form beside her. Yin watched her, watched as the woman who saved her snickered against the man's shoulder, and Yin wondered if she'd maybe lost more than just her title over the years. Meeting Saya had been like welcoming a hurricane: dangerous and breathtaking. Yin and Fuu had been stragglers from decimated clans, brought together only by chance and fortune. If it hadn't been for the captain commander's kindness, they would have most surely been picked off by rogues or upper class bandits.

It was Saya who'd given them food and clothes, given them a place they could once again call home. Though Saya hadn't thought much of it, Yin had silently idolized her for not only her generosity, but also for her stature. Despite her rough appearance and lackadaisical attitude, Imatsura Sayuri was still the strongest person Yin had ever known, and it was not only strength that won Saya her favor.

"Onna."

Saya didn't bother to move from her seat, only cracking open her molten eyes to see Kisame slide open the door as Yin had, Samehada and cloak donned with an Uchiha cloaked behind him. He grinned at her position, walking forward with Saya's three swords in hand. "Comfy?"

"Sublime," She sighed. "So is that the plan then? Distract, infiltrate, eradicate, escape?" She gave them a look, hardly noting Minori in the background. "I know the Uchiha's genjutsu manipulation is something to be revered, but can it really ensnare so many men with gear scripted with genjutsu seals?"

"It's not your concern." Itachi retrieved a thin scroll from his person, unrolling it with deft hands. He gave Saya a care, his gaze steadily demanding. "I'm going to seal him."

"Poor bugger." She scooted away, continuing to lean her back against the wall as Itachi made a few hand seals before the giant of a man disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Are we off then?"

"Here." Kisame threw her the three katanas, her quick catch causing her to wince at the sudden movement. "Better toughen up, onna. This Katsutoshi isn't your nursemaid, he's not going to wait around while you cower in pain."

"_Not _cowering." She gritted out. "It was more of a shudder. And don't worry, Hoshigake, I never had a nursemaid."

"I-I don't think that was the p-point, Sayuri-dono." Minori said quietly, his stutter faintly noticeable beneath the utterance of his words.

With a shrug, she slid onto her feet and stretched her neck to each side, a pop sounding with each push. "I guess it's time to get my ass handed to me again, ne?" She smirked at Kisame, who smirked right back. "Yin?"

"I will assist Ito-san in restraining the squad units incapacitated by Uchiha-san's sharingan." She bowed her head. "Do you have any objections, Ito-san?"

"N-No!" He exclaimed with a jump. "N-No, I would ap-p-ppreciate your help."

"Kisame and I will take on those that are left to oppose our attack." Itachi addressed Saya. "You will be left to finish Sato Katsutoshi."

She clasped the leather strap of the trio, sliding it around her waist and patting the hilts of the conjoined swords. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on the group in front of her.

"Then let's go, before this damn wound bleeds through my dressing and I pass out from blood loss."

"Watch that mouth of yours, onna."

She shrugged carelessly, her lips twitching as she took a confident step and strode towards the other end of the room. When she stood beside Kisame, facing the opposite way towards the hallway door, she watched as he crossed his arms tightly. He gave her a begrudging look.

"I like that look." He told her deeply.

"Hm?" Saya hummed, her eyes glancing at him from the side. "What look?"

"That look. It's a look that might accomplish something." Though his voice wasn't serious, he didn't grin or smile. Instead, he closed his eyes and waited for her to move along. Saya didn't know whether she should laugh out right or shut it, and choosing the latter, she reached Minori's spot in the threshold. He looked up at her nervously, slightly afraid of the grin she'd been wearing and the sharpness in her stare. However, when he finally reached her eyes…

"Thanks," she told him softly, a warm smile lighting her features, "I owe ya one for stitching me up." Her eyes were like honey, soft and welcoming, and at her words, his shaking twitches froze as he regarded the transformation, his mouth opening slightly before snapping back shut. Inclining his head with a nod, he answered.

"I-It was the least I-I could do, S-Sayuri-dono." He rubbed his hands together, his eyes sliding to the side away from her own. "After all…i-it was because of my cowardice that you were e-exiled." He bit his bottom lip, eyes shaking. "If I'd only told s-someone…if I'd only said _something_. If I-"

A hand came down on his head, ruffling his hair with a few pats. Kisame turned at the sound of silence when Minori trailed off.

"Don't sweat it," she said, a knowing smirk, "You didn't do anything wrong. But you should know not to live in the past." Retracting her hand, she continued, "Don't live in the future, either. Just focus on the present. It leaves less room for regrets and unnecessary worries."

Yin watched Saya's hands, a miniscule smile softening her frigid features. It was her hands that had won Yin's affection, the hands calloused and scarred with evidence of fighting and murder. Yin thought back onto the day they'd met, how a pat similar to the one Saya'd just given Ito Minori was given to her and Fuu in a reassuring sign of companionship. The hands had looked battle-worn and coarse, the skin tough to the touch.

And yet, despite how rough those hands appeared to be, they were surprisingly gentle. With a single touch, Saya had given Yin something she'd lost when her family had been slain during the war.

And while Yin lingered on the thought of Saya's hands, the mist shinobi known as Hoshigake Kisame was rather focused on her eyes…and the smile on her lips.

"I won't be able to catch all of them," Itachi murmured, "But the minority will rest with Yin-san and Ito-san."

"You will most likely encounter ranking officers," Yin remained seated, her eyes resting on her own hands before closing. She appeared to be addressing Itachi and Kisame. "Though, it's silly to think two shinobi like yourselves should have much trouble dealing with them. The correction squad is not as it used to be, under the Imatsura clan's care."

Saya shrugged with indifference, and without bothering to look back at her sister's room once more, she walked down the hallway and out to the garden.

* * *

Gakuto was not a traitor, at least, that's not how he saw it. His allegiance had never been dedicated to any of the Imatsura's; rather, both he and his clan had long since served under the Sato family. He did not feel remorse or guilt over the outcome concerning Imatsura Sayuri, nor did he feel any sense of victory or amusement.

All he felt was an unyielding loyalty and need to serve Sato Katsutoshi, the last of the Sato line.

Just as he was the last of his.

Perhaps if he had acted as more of an advisor, more as a friend to Sato-sama, then maybe things would have worked out differently. He personally did not see the justice in what Sato-sama construed all those years ago, nor did he understand why'd he'd done it in the first place. Sato Katsutoshi was indeed a very reclusive man, and that did not make it any easier to understand him.

Not that Gakuto really wanted to understand him, but it certainly would have made some things a bit easier.

Still, he did not grasp the reasons behind Sato-sama's decisions, only that Sato-sama seemed resilient in their execution and appeared not to have been bothered by their success. Gakuto understood that he was a tool, best utilized so long as in the hands of a Sato clansman, and as long as he performed his duties effectively, there was little else to concern himself with.

It was during the time that most civilians returned home for evening that he caught sight of movement within the Imatsura compound, or at least what was left of it. His jutsu could not reach within the building, the previous leader's seals still active and obstructing invasive eyes and ears.

Gakuto knew that his master had a rather intense affection for the previous Imatsura leader, Imatsura Sayuri's elder sister. It was a rather well hidden emotion, but best observed when hidden in the shadows of better known men. So he could grasp why Sato-sama ordered him to frame Takyui Saito, regardless of whether or not he agreed with it. He could also comprehend Sato-sama's rage and grief over the late Imatsura's suicide…and maybe even his descent into despondent madness.

However, what he couldn't understand was why Sato Katsutoshi loathed Sayuri so much, to the point of murder and fraud?

Gakuto would not question his master's agenda, it was shameful to one in his place. He would eradicate all that Sato-sama wished gone from his sight, and he would shield Sato-sama before the might of any opponent. He was Sato-sama's sword and shield, as were his predecessors before him. He would live by Sato-sama's side, and die by it.

The twilight had fallen and given rise to a full moon once more, the land before him illuminated by its madly grinning face. One of the side doors slid open to reveal a terribly apathetic picture of Saya, her face bored of its surroundings and baring little insight to the pain Gakuto knew she must be feeling from the wound his master inflicted. Behind her more shadows appeared, ones he could only assume belonged to the rogue shinobi and the unranked officer Ito Minori, though, a smaller one accompanied them as well. He made three had signals, the affirmation of his orders silently followed as the ruffle of leaves nearly blended in with that caused by the petite breeze.

He watched as Saya mentioned something to the taller man behind her, her eyes glittering despite the bleak colors of night. Whatever the man responded with caused her to grin wolfishly.

Still…Gakuto couldn't help but wonder that maybe Sato Katsutoshi was mistaken, and that the cause of all this was not misplaced revenge, but rather something a little more uncomplicated. Something most everyone felt every now and then, only maybe Sato-sama had felt it a bit too much due to his reclusive nature.

Something like loneliness.

And then, due to his arrogance...

Contempt.

* * *

She dodged a kunai that had been aimed at her throat and ducked under another one that went for her face, the blade just a little too close to her eyes, though, it didn't seem to bother Saya much. Ahead of her were roughly a dozen unranked officers, easily kicked aside with quick jabs and thrusts.

Well, not as easily as she'd like to admit. Actually, she found it pretty damn hard to move at all with her stomach hurting like hell. But what was she to do, sit back and watch the Uchiha and Hoshigake have all the fun?

As soon as they'd stepped out from her old home, they were bombarded by quite the number of officers in discreet uniform. They'd had their chakra masked, and Saya'd only caught on when she'd heard their movement from within the brush. She was grossly pissed that she missed them altogether, and as she thought on that fact she noticed the Uchiha activate the sharingan from the usual tomoe to a rather captivating design.

It was at that moment that all movement ceased, leaving Kisame in mid swing and Saya…well, honestly, she'd just been standing on top of an unconscious body. Minori peeked from around a banister, Yin standing next to him in the open. One by one, the soldiers seemed to freeze in place, their faces frozen in wide-eyed expressions, before falling to the ground noiselessly.

"Are they dead?" Minori asked nervously.

"No." Yin stepped forward, near a collapsed figure.

"Tch, they weren't even worth the effort."

Saya eyed Kisame, an arm resting on the hilts of her swords. She slowly looked around to Itachi, who was still staring forward towards the height of one tree.

"Ne, how did you do that?" She asked. "They all had that charm on…"

"The Mangekyō Sharingan is different from normal genjutsu."

She nodded, stroking her chin tiredly."Ah, I see. Another Uchiha trait."

"Ito Minroi and I will restrain them." Yin turned her head to Itachi. "Though, I do not believe they will awaken anytime soon."

"That's an understatement," Saya cooed, picking up the man's arm that lay beneath her, letting it drop with a thud back to the ground. "This guy's deadweight."

"Stop playing around, onna. Or did you forget what we're doing already?" Kisame swung Samehada back on his shoulder. She shrugged noncommittally and turned on her heel.

"G-good luck, S-sayuri-dono!" Minori called after her, waving frantically.

They sped off, weaving through the bamboo and emerging only to be met by several squads. Itachi stepped forward, systematically sliding his gaze to each of the warriors before him, allowing each one to stare into the depths of his eyes. Both she and Kisame watched as the assorted men before them wavered and collapsed.

"That's some eye." Saya whistled.

"Hn."

"So, if you'd care to enlighten me, why didn't you just use that when we were surrounded earlier?" She tossed him a careless glance, one dark brow raising in inquiry.  
He said nothing in return, though, Saya hadn't really expected him to.

They continued to move forward, nearer to the manor's entrance and the crossroads that lead from the village to the oak tree near the cliffs and beach. The longer they sprinted, the more the area beneath Saya's bandages seemed to throb with sharp pains.

"Having trouble?" Kisame asked her tauntingly.

"No." She bit her lip to keep from letting a groan slip out.

"Are you sure, onna? It sounds like you're in a bit of pain."

"You've always been a pain in my ass, Hoshigake. I'm used to it."

He grinned without looking back to her, only to stop suddenly beside Itachi as eight figures appeared before them. The lack of warning left Saya to slam right into Kisame's back with a heavy grunt, almost landing her on her butt before she steadied herself and peered around his shoulder.

"Shiro-kun?"

Jushiro and the female twins stood closely together, flanking five men wearing haori's trimmed with silver: Captains. There weren't any particular notable features to any one of them, though, the one on the far right had a wild streak of violet running through his otherwise dull blond hair, and a long scar that ran from his right eye, which was sealed shut, to the edge of his mouth.

"Hideki? Katsumi? Renjiro? Shigemi?" She looked from each of the captains down the line, and as she uttered the last name, the man with the scar smirked and gave her a saucy wink.

"Hey there, Sayuri. Long time no see."

She ignored him and looked at the last man that stood apart from them, whose face was completely new to Saya.

"….Hataro."

The man bristled and pointed violently at her.

"Oi! Don't just make up names if you don't know who I am!"

One of the men, who had a full beard and a rather sharp nose, glared at her from behind thick brows.

"Sayuri, we've been ordered to take you into custody. We'd prefer it if you didn't resist and make it easy on yourself." He said in a gruff tone, uncrossing his arms and blinking owlishly. "That goes for those men as well."

"Captains."

Saya looked to Itachi from where she stood, down to the ground, and then up at the group of men across from them.

"Yeah. You better watch yourselves, some of them are pretty tricky." She watched as Shigemi's grin widened and he wagged his eyebrows. "Especially that one," she added, distaste dripping from her tongue.

"Tricks have nothing to do with it," the bearded man narrowed his dark eyes. "It is skill and experience that has brought us where we are. You should know that better than anyone, Sayuri."

"It was a figure of speech, Renjiro-san." She bowed her head slightly as she stood alongside her two companions. "While Shigemi may be right, I certainly haven't forgotten any of you, with the exception of Hataro-kun of course, considering he's new."

"Dasaiii!" Said man exclaimed heatedly, a single eye going into a spasm, "Onna, I already told you, my name is _not_ Hataro, it's-"

"The man on the far left is a genjutsu specialist. His family is the one who started the seals on the armor they wear." Saya interrupted smoothly. "The one next to him focuses on earth style techniques, but he couples it with air to create shape techniques usually accompanied by Renjiro's lightning and water nature, creating powerful storm combinations."

"And we all know Shiro-kun's specialty, though, he's a bit of a copycat so that might change." She smirked at him as he sent her sneer.

"Hora! Matte, what about me?" Shigemi jumped, taking half a step forward with one wide eye. "Aren't you gonna tell them about me?"

"You wanna take the brats on the left, Itachi-san, or the ossan in the middle?" Kisame asked casually, glancing over at his partner.

"Hn."

"The old men, then."

Shigemi fell to the floor dramatically, twitching as he reached out.

"Now you're just ignoring me…"He pouted, a single tear waiting precariously to drip down his cheek.

"We haven't forgotten either, Sayuri-san," The man known as Katsumi said, his dull eyes and thin-lipped expression rivaling that of Yin's, "Why it is that you were exiled. However, I'm not one to hold grudges, so believe me when I say this is nothing personal."

"We once respected you as not only your father's daughter, but also as a leader," Renjiro stared into Saya's eyes, unblinking, "You did quite well for someone so young. I was impressed with how you handled your mother's and father's deaths, as well as your sister's." He smiled fondly, "You took control of your inheritance like a natural born commander. It was a shame that you threw it all away like you did."

She smiled back at him, however, another sharp pain ran jaggedly through her stomach. She pushed away a grimace and slowly snaked her hand around her injury, leaning her head to the side.

"I wonder about that?" She said.

Renjiro's smile froze as he regarded her eyes.

"I'm tired of all this talk," Jushiro stated coldly, unsheathing a sword from his side. "I'm tired of everyone speaking so sweetly to a traitor like her."

"Simmer _down_,hot stuff," Shigemi smirked over at him, waving his arms calmingly. "There's no sense in being so hasty, is there? Besides, I'd like to have a nice, long chat with Sayuri over there." He slid his eye in her direction, slowly running it over her, and then Kisame, and finally Itachi. "I'd just love to hear about what you've been doing all this time, where you've been, why you've decided to join a criminal group of terrorists."

"Why she killed her best friend." Jushiro spat, gripping the pommel in his hand. The twins looked at one another with knowing smiles, each placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be like that, Shiro-sempai," Maru murmured soothingly.

"Like a cat struck with cold water," Yuri whispered close to his ear.

He shrugged both of them off, keeping his eyes on Saya. The pure, unadulterated hatred in them nearly seared the socks off Saya, if Saya'd been wearing socks. Instead, she grinned back at him and wound her other hand around herself.

"Ne, Shiro-kun," she said weakly as a neat wave of heat stung at her core, "I wonder...have _you_ ever wondered why a tree has bark?"

He snarled at her and rushed them, sprinting the distance and dancing up to her with quick feet, swinging back his blade before bringing it down on her. Before it could meet her, Kisame caught the attack with his own sword, not even making an effort to move.

"Oi, gaki, kids like you shouldn't play with swords." He swung, the force overpowering Jushiro and sending him viciously back and sliding in the dirt.

"Old men like you shouldn't get in my way!" He yelled back, holding his katana in both hands. Kisame's eye's gleamed and Saya hid a snicker. She shuddered but smiled at Itachi.

"See? I'm not the only one who things he's a fossil."

"Urusai," Kisame snorted. He turned away from Saya's attacker and looked down at the woman herself. With his attention on her, she straightened and dropped her arms, closing both eyes before looking up at him questioningly.

"Give me your arm."

"Nani?"

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm, gripping it roughly with callused fingers. He flipped it over with her palm up, and without a word, he bit his thumb on the opposite hand, allowing a swell of blood to form, and dug it into her wrist. A brief burning sensation drilled at the spot he held, but then Saya felt a surge of chakra collect as it buried itself within her arm, and when he took his finger away, a black seal was left in place of his blood.

"This is a chakra seal," he told her sternly, "Use your own blood and you'll be able to summon the chakra Samehada has accumulated over previous battles."

She blinked slowly, looking down at the black scrawl, and then up into his unwavering eyes.

"Hoshigake…you-"

Dropping her arm, he straightened to his full height, "Don't think about it too much."

She looked back down at her arm as a grin slowly made its way onto her lips. "Right."

"We'll take care of things here," Itachi said without turning to her, "You go on and confront Sato Katsutoshi."

"Oi, we're not letting her go anywhere!" Jushiro growled treacherously. Before he could move, Samehada's huge form blocked out his vision, nearly catching him as he blocked with the hilt of his guard. "Get out of my way!"

"Let's have some fun, gaki," Kisame leered toothily.

"Go, Imatsura," Itachi ordered. Saya eyed the group of captains as they began to take action.

"Have fun, Uchiha."

"Hn."

She laughed and made a handsign, fading with a thick wisp of smoke as the battle began.

* * *

"_Don't think about it too much."_

"Don't think about it too much my ass," Saya huffed. _The big oaf, doing something like that. I don't know whether I should be insulted or pleased._ She looked down at the seal again. _Maybe now I can actually fight._

"_Don't think about it too much."_

She made a face as she jumped from the rooftop to the path diverging away from the manor. The pain in her side reminded her of where she was going, and placing the tips of her fingers to her bandages, she allowed a few slips of chakra to help close up the skin that had reopened.

"I'm not thinking about it," she grumbled, "Not at all."

"Thinking about what, Sa-chan?"

She immediately came to a halt, skidding along the wood and rocks in the tall grass. The sudden stop had jolted her, a constricted gasp lodged itself in her throat as she dropped her hand and regarded the man before her with sharp eyes. Katsutoshi stood but a few paces away, smiling softly and standing beside two other men.

"Arata-taicho," she muttered, "Fujikage-taicho." The two captains that'd been with Katsu when she'd first arrived, the ones that'd given her both sad and heated glances. The two captains that'd supported her most during her office, and had once been her father's closest confidents.

Arata Hiroko, the man who mentored and befriended Takyui Saito. And Fujikage Ichiro…

Jin's father.

"Sayuri," Arata greeted, bowing his head. Fujikage said nothing, only staring at her relentlessly…restlessly.

"I see you're doing quite well considering the blow I gave you," Katsu said good-naturedly. "I suppose Ito Minori will have to be rewarded for his efforts."

"That won't be necessary," Saya rested an arm on the hilts at her side, "Katsu." She stood silent as she took in the contours of his expression, searching his eyes for something. "I've been asking you a lot of questions since I've gotten here, but now that I think about it, none of them were really the right ones, were they?"

"Do you know what _Katsutoshi_ means, Saya?" He adjusted his glasses, allowing the glare to hide his eyes. When she didn't respond, he continued, "It means 'to win cleverly'."

"You've always been clever, Katsu."

"That's not the point, Saya. There is no point in being clever if there's no one around to appreciate it." His tone turned hard.

"Why?" She asked calmly, "Why did you do it?" Arata's face quirked as he observed her questioningly. He looked beside himself to Katsu, as well did Fujikage with his own angry countenance. Both of the men that stood side by side suddenly seemed alienated from their current commander. "Takyui-san was a good shinobi and a good man. Why did you frame him?"

Arata's eyes widened, though, Fujikage seemed unaffected.

"No," she said suddenly, shaking her head, "that's still not the right question. You wanted to inherit the correction unit."

_Misa watched her sister carefully. __"When I am married, you won't have to kill anymore. My husband will inherit your status, as well as mine, and he will take care of everything."_

"You'd always wanted to be a leader. And you were jealous, because Misa only had eyes for him. I knew it because you were always projecting those feelings onto me."

"_Jealous, Saya-chan?"  
"Not in the least," Saya strummed. "I have no interest in calligraphy. At all."_

_"Political meetings my ass. This is just a dog show, and Misa's the prize." She drawled.  
__"__Jealous?" Saya looked behind Jin to see her other best friend, Sato Katsutoshi._

She slid her eyes shut. "But it was exactly because of her infatuation with Takyui-san that she took her own life…but I don't blame you for that. Any of it." She opened an eye and watched as Katsu stiffened.

_"I have no interest in calligraphy. At all." She paused in thought and cupped her chin. "But you know, Misa would be impressed. She has a sort of fancy for stuff like that." _

_Katsutoshi seemed to repress a wide smile as he turned back to his writing. _  
"_Oh? I didn't know."_  
"_Of course you knew! That's why you took it up to start with!" She said heatedly._

"I'd always known you'd been interested in her, even when we were kids. So I can understand why you deceived the squad, I can comprehend why you might've snapped and took those matters into your own hands. You were blinded by anger and greed."

His hands tightened into fists.

_His smile flickered out, an annoyed twitch flipping the meaning behind it._  
_Saya-chan was much too smart sometimes._

"But what I can't grasp…what I can't figure out is why you killed _Jin_." Fujikage's scowl sharpened considerably, the apprehension so heavy it seemed to anchor him in his spot.

"You have no proof." Katsu ground out.

"Damn the proof, I was there!" She cried, her usually low voice taking a pitch. "Why did you betray not only Misa, but us as well? It was your own god damned fault for what happened to her and Saito, so why did you take your anger out on Jin? Why!"

"Because _he_ couldn't understand!" He screamed, his shoulders shuddering as he panted and careened forward. His composure had finally shattered, leaving only his raging emotions to burn forth. He reserved a moment to settle them, and took one deep breath as he looked up, "And you could."

"Nani?" Arata asked deeply, looking disbelievingly at Katsu. "Sotaicho?"

"Sato Katsutoshi," Fujikage spoke with a stiff tone, "Is this true?" Jin had taken after his father enough that they could have been mistaken for one another, albeit one being quite a bit older. Jin had inherited Fujikage Ichiro's broad shoulders, wild hair, and dark skin.

Even their voices sounded the same.

"Did you murder my son?"

Katsu said nothing, only stared at Saya with an unidentifiable expression. "Tell me, Sa-chan," he started calmly, "Could the Maō Gijutsu have brought them back?"

Saya gripped the hilt of one of her swords, the leather binding digging hard into her hand.

"No."

He sneered. "Pity."

Saya only just was able to unsheathe one of her katanas and block his attack, his own sword gleaming terribly in the early morning light. The sun had just peeked over the ocean, its copper light reaching achingly along the flat water and silent sky. She quickly took hold of another, taking a stance with both weapons ready as they circled each other. Katsu slid his feet apart, as if he were going to rush her, but then stopped and stood straight. Throwing his blade aside, he began a series of handsigns that Saya was instantly familiar with. His weapon clattered against the rocky soil, sliding far out of reach and into a particularly high patch of dry grass.

"Urushi no Jutsu." His arms turned a feverish red, an amber substance oozing from his pores. "Tsuru no mai!" He slammed his hands into the earth, digging them underneath its surface. She watched with wide eyes as the soil shifted rapidly, jumping into the air as writhing tendrils of roots shot out from beneath her. The sticky mess that had coated Katsu's arms now glazed the lengths of the shoots pursuing her, dripping messily to the grass below and turning it a sickly shade of yellow.

She sliced the tips that nearly touched her, hacking them away as she retreated. She noticed the ground shift from behind her, more vines preparing to burst out and attack her, so gritting her teeth, she shoved the handle of one sword into her mouth and drew the third, taking a stance with closed eyes.

"Hanamichi." She murmured. The dance that ensued was hidden behind the wall of climbing plants, but by the time it was over they were reduced to tiny segments of slop. The floor was carpeted by it, only a small area clean that encircled Saya.

"Behind you, Saya."

Saya whipped around and blocked Katsu's bladed arms, their sides as sharp as the sword he had flung aside. The secretion dripped heavily from them, and Saya knew well she had to avoid coming into contact with it at all costs. Bringing the two blades in her hands to mimic one, she hopped in light steps.

"Chunori!" She said through the hilt, making her last hop a high jump, corkscrewing in the air to slash down on Katsu from behind. He met her with both arms, narrowing his mirthful eyes. He shaped both hands with folding fingers.

"Kansen no jutsu." The yellow excretion wriggled spastically and exploded. Saya cried out and fell back, sliding on her heels and shielding her face with crossed arms. The discharge that made contact with her skin in assorted patches singed where it touched, absorbing quickly into her. She eyed the burns.

"Gross."

"Pay attention, Saya." He swiped at her midsection, just missing her dressing as she dodged to the side. "Fight me seriously, with all you have." He continued his assault. "Swing those swords, cut me!"

She yelped as he spun around, sending her skidding away.

"I'm not your friend anymore. I'm your enemy, someone you want to kill." He took a step forward, "Stop holding back and cut me!" He glared wide-eyed at her, "_**Cut me**_!"

She took gulps of air, biting the hilt in her mouth as waves of pain shuddered down her body. With a final heave, she raised her eyes. "Fine."

Pointing both swords downward, she stabbed the ground on either side of her, taking the one from her mouth and lodging it in between the two. "You want me to cut you…" She nicked the side of her thumb along the blade, pressing it to the inside of her wrist. A sequence of handsigns followed, ending in ox. "Then I'll cut you." Tapping each hilt, she uttered,

"Gojuken no jutsu."

In a flurry, dozens of swords materialized in clouds of grey smoke, surrounding both she and Katsu in the open field of sea oats and sorrel. He considered their vast number steadily, his glasses slipping to the edge of his nose.

"What's this?" He asked harshly.

"A technique meant for cutting."

Grabbing the sword nearest to her, she flash stepped to him. They traded blow after blow, Saya abandoning one sword for another, continuously trading the one in her hand for one somewhere else. Both Arata and Fujikage watched the fight from afar, making space between them and the combatants. While Arata seemed worried, Fujikage merely appeared stern, his lip curling as Katsu rolled to the ground and his jutsu on his arms dispersed. In a desperate attempt to block a swing she had aimed for him, he grasped at a handle from one of the swords fixed in the dirt, only for it to waver like smoke from a fire. His eyes widened.

"That's not your sword." She swung but only found she'd stabbed an earth clone.

Some feet away, Katsu snatched up the katana he'd discarded, brandishing it and charging. As he neared her, though, he realized his mistake. It was too late to stop from engaging the shadow clone, though, and as he finished it off, he only just turned to see Saya strike with a sword in each hand.

"Jo." Taking a deliberate step forward, she made to arcs with each blade, the movement seemingly slow due to the defined movement it took to make them.

Katsu's weapon clanged to the ground.

"Ha." Her movements doubled, the slicing motions almost too fast to follow. He could hardly breathe.

His glasses fell next, the glass in one lens cracking against the hard terrain.

"Kyu." With a dramatic turn, she finished with a double swing, landing two large gashes on Katsu's chest. A few trails of blood followed her blades, the rest seeping into his crisp white haori and running down his arms from numerous lacerations. A faraway look crept into his eyes as he peered up to the sky, his dark eyes a shadow against the dawn.

He fell soundlessly onto his knees, his view now on Saya. She looked down on him with steady eyes. He thought back to Jin as he delved deep into their scorching ocher.

"_This is revenge, isn't it?"_

"_No. Revenge is something that happens after something else has started. This is only the beginning."_

"_The beginning of what?"_

"Now this," he mumbled gently, "_this _is justice."

**Took me long enough, right? Sorry, but I've been busy getting ready to leave my humble abode and enter a whole different world I don't know if I'm ready for. Meh, I'll survive one way or another.**

**Thank you all so much for your subscriptions and reviews, every time I get an e-mail notification I end up on the floor, twitching for sheer happiness. For some reviewers that really sparked my motivation:**

_**Regin**_**: I'm glad you 'like' 'lust' and 'love' ;) Thanks for the push, hun.**

_**Triggerspec**_**: I'm not going to lie, it was you who inspired me to procrastinate. But you really made a valid point, and it was also what made me decide to rest a while to get a bit more impassioned with my plot. Thank you!**

_**Saphira113**_**: Sorry I didn't actually message you and respond, but I'm terrible in general with communication. No, Katsu was just being a morose. He just meant that because of everything that he's done, he views himself as lower than being a human being. Like a monster.**

_**Onileo:**_** I'm glad someone made a note about the moon motif from the previous chapter. I like playing around with that stuff, hoping that something profound actually come out of it. **

_**Riley Killer: **_**Same to you, I was basically gnawing at my sweater and squealing the whole time I read your review (You always leave awesome reviews). I feel a bit bad for leaving Itachi out so much, but I'm still, for lack of a better term, sucking at personifying him. Oh, by the way, please update something soon, I miss reading your stuff :) **

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter despite its formatting and brief grammatical errors, and I'm sorry if I didn't include all of my reviewers, I was just picking some of the more recent ones. **

**~Japanese Crap~**

**You'll have to forgive me if I screw any of this up.**

Ossan- Old man/men  
Dasai- Exclamation used to express disgust about something totally uncool.

**I based Saya's sword techniques off of Kabuki, so the starred terminology refers to Kabuki Theatre**

Urushi no Jutsu- Poison Oak Technique

Tsuru no mai- Dance of the vines**. **

*Hanamichi-The literal translation of hanamichi is "flowery way". It is a long walkway from the stage to the other end of the spectators area.

*Chunori_-_ Riding the sky

Kansen- Infecting

Gojuken no jutsu- Fifty sword technique

*Jo-ha-kyu: Nearly every full-length play occupies five acts. The first corresponds to _jo_, an auspicious and slow opening which introduces the audience to the characters and the plot. The next three acts correspond to _ha_, speeding events up, culminating almost always in a great moment of drama or tragedy in the third act and possibly a battle in the second and/or fourth acts. The final act, corresponding to _kyu_, is almost always short, providing a quick and satisfying conclusion.

(!) Also, if you guys are curious, 'Cossette' is a fictional character in the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The name means, by French origins, 'victory of the people'. If you're now wondering what that has to do with this story, here's a brief explanation:

The whole intro is a metaphor for the chapter. The ending line, 'Farewell Cossette', is in reference to neither Katsu nor Saya obtaining a victory, despite 'justice' being reclaimed by either party- Katsu whilst killing Jin, and Saya killing Katsu. Because both are severing a bond dear to them, they're actually losing something precious in their victory. Interpret the rest how you like.

My sources trace back to Wikipedia, Yahoo Answers (Thank you, Mr. Native Tongue), and Angelfire.

.


	25. Ch 25: A Day Dipped in Silent Grey

**Author's Note:**Any Japanese-esque stuff you don't understand is probably at the references at the end, provided by a wide variety of sources. I appreciate everyone's patience with this update, and I'm happy to say I know exactly how I'm going to end JLT: I know you'll love it :)

Also, I'm highly disappointed that no one called me out on misspelling Kisame's surname this entire time. I feel like a complete loser. Oh, and if there's any grammar error's and the like, just ignore it and pretend I'm perfect at writing. If any of you are actually interested enough to be curious about what happened with Katsu, well, I'm happy you actually care enough to wonder. That'll be explained in a later chapter, as will a few other things.

I would like to specifically thank three different people:

1) My very good friend Maria, who has been here for me to either advise or listen to my ramblings about this fanfic. She's writing a very lovely original story of her own, to which I will provide a link to in my next chapter if anyone's interested.

2) Riley Killer, who has been there since the beginning and who's reviews always, _always _motivate me to update. Speaking of which, doll, I read your own update and haven't grabbed a chance to review, but I will soon. It was awesome, but thoroughly frustrating.

3) Triggerspec, because when I looked back at your last review I couldn't help but laugh. Don't worry, I'm sure you're not missing all that much. Maybe I'll go back at one point and comment on some things.

By the way, the following quote is my own, regardless of similarities it might hold, and is my own personal philosophy.

Enjoy.

* * *

There is no good or evil…

Only perspective.

She is looking down at the man looking up, neither understanding, nor misunderstanding the positions they take. Maybe, if perhaps they had conceded earlier, the positions might've been on equal footing. Maybe there would have been three others beside them, a picture of pacifying tranquility. Maybe there would have been a conjoined pair from the king and queen, and a three of hearts rather than the two of spades.

But that's not what happened, is it?

* * *

The door slammed suddenly, dragging Saya out of her mid-afternoon nap and sufficiently jarring her into a state of confusion. She heard not-so distant grumbles, a careless curse or two, and then another slam. Groaning, she threw an arm over her eyes to shield them from the glaring sunlight that dipped in from a surprisingly large window on her right.

The hotel room she currently occupied was relatively clean, a jewel in the scum of the usual places she'd been in as of late. There was even a TV shoved into one corner, its old antennae bent and crooked as was the lone picture on the far wall. It smelt strongly, almost overwhelmingly, of tea leaves and mint, compliments of the medicine shop downstairs. With another groan she lifted herself up and lightly rubbed the sleep from her eyes, taking slow, easy breaths in order to dispel what she could of her dreams.

Another loud clang, this time followed by shattering glass, finally caught enough of her attention. "Oi, Okama, what's with all the noise?" The drowsiness was still too evident in her voice to make the comment as biting as she'd intended, but she was graced with an almost immediate answer from the partially hidden hall.

"Shut up and go back to sleep," said the man from the hallway, cursing under his breath again as he hopped over what appeared to be a broken vase on the wood floor.

"Who could sleep when you're making all this racket?" She watched as he sucked on his teeth, an all too familiar gesture now, and turned to her with a hand on his hip.

"Tsk, it's not my fault this room is so cheap."

"Maybe it's not so much the room's shabbiness as it is you're inability to do anything _quietly_," she muttered throwing herself back onto her side.

Sho was not a patient man. In fact, when it came to Saya, he had no patience whatsoever. Her lackadaisical behavior and careless nature rubbed his own straightforward demeanor the wrong way. And while he was not so even-tempered, he was forgiving even less. So when the sarcastic quips slid out of Saya's mouth, as they so often did, it was only natural that he should make a scene out of it...if not completely blow the whole situation out of proportion.

"Excuse me? _Me_, not _quiet_? You have no room to talk, Ms. Akaname," he said, referring to her boisterous rant and singing from a few nights ago, pointing at her and then twitching when he saw she wasn't listening in the least. "You better straighten out your drinking before Uchiha-san and Hoshigaki-san get here, otherwise they'll know something's up, and _I'm _not going to be the one covering for you."

"Shotaro, if I was drunk, you'd know it," she said blandly, sighing through a huff.

"I've told you over and over again, baka-onna, my name is not Shotaro, it's _Sho_. Just _Sho_." He stomped over to a worn out dresser near the window, snatching what was a thickly woven scarf that nearly slid off the dulled edge. With nimble fingers, he tied it around his neck in a heap, adjusting it slightly before peeking one eye at Saya's form. She appeared at peace, her eyes closed gently against smooth skin and thin-fingered hands cushioning her head. Grinning wickedly, he yanked the string to open the blinds, showering her in a field of gold arrays, blindingly brilliant for the time of day. He kept his back to her, snickering at what he imagined her face would look like.

She lazily opened her eyes and stared squarely at him, clearly not amused.

"Shotaro..."she drawled. There was a brief pause and a muted shuffle, something that sounded hauntingly familiar. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like your scarf's on fire."

He looked back around to her, puzzled, "What?"

"I said your scarf is on fire," she turned over, facing away from him as the sharp, smoky scent of burning tickled his nostrils. He looked down to find that the end of his scarf was indeed set aflame, albeit a very small one, and climbing quickly up the folds of fabric. With a strangled cry, he bat it out with fluttering fingers, a frustrated and vile sneer being directed at Saya's guilty back.

When the flame was out, he inspected the damage and with a relived sigh, he noted that his accessory would live. "I'm pretty sure Hoshigaki-san said that you were only to use that seal in emergencies," Sho referred to the simple twisted pattern residing on the inside of Saya's wrist.

"I'm not so weak as to rely on that for a simple Katon, Shotaro."

"It's _Sho_."

This had been a habit they'd quickly dipped into not long after Saya had been left in Sho's care. Had it already been seven months since her departure from the pair of Shuten-dōji?

* * *

_"…the hell?"_

_ Sho looked from between his partner to the three across from him __in utter disbelief, his eyes blinking with heavy lashes. "W-what is this all about? What do you mean I have to…to babysit this…ugh!" He threw his arms up in a heave of exaggerated breaths, turning to glare at Sasori with burning hatred, despite the ragged and intimidating puppet he wore. "You're joking. This is a joke, isn't it?"_

_ "No, it's not. And it's an order from the top, so get over it," Kisame shrugged, letting his gaze drop from the flamboyantly dressed Sho to Saya, who stood not far off his right. In a manner of speaking, Sho's wardrobe had doubled in its ostentatious array. The netting he'd wore still clung to his lean muscle underneath his Akatsuki cloak; however, the cloak itself looked as if it had been completely remodeled, the sleeves dipping into long, wide cuffs along the wrists, and the buttons along the middle replaced with purple gems. The collar flared outwards, allowing the large, glittering necklace Sho was wearing to stand out against his rather pallid skin._

_ It seemed as though since the contract had been made, and now that he was in public, Sho had decided to also apply a heavy sheen of make-up. Shimmering purple eye shadow surrounded each of his eyes, and if not for the shade of the purple, they might've seemed like bruises. Fake gold eyelashes danced as he blinked, still speechless from the news Kisame threw upon him. His lips, too, were coated with a liquid bronze, matching the copious earrings adorning each of his ears, though, some looked like they held small rubies and sapphires as well._

_ "When I said I wouldn't mind abdicating for a smaller position, I sure as hell didn't mean chaperoning this idiot," he continued. "I thought maybe collecting profit, keeping thugs in line...things like _that_. Why does she even need to be watched anyway? She's a grown-ass woman." _

_ "Bite your tongue," Sasori growled. "Don't question your superiors when tasked with something you dislike. Or would you prefer to be fully removed from performing services for Akatsuki?" The hunched puppet eyed him inquisitively, waiting for some rebuttal. _

_ "I-" Sho started, but deliberated to settle over a softer, calmer tone. "You better not expect me to pay for her living expenses _and _get docked pay."_

_ "You won't," Itachi stated, "Sayuri will be given a calculated sum that she can utilize as she likes. And you will be traveling, taking stock of our associations and contacts. Sayuri will merely be shadowing you."_

_ "Tch, shadows aren't nearly as chatty," Sho muttered. _

_ "You have no idea, gaki," Kisame grinned, duly noting that Saya seemed to puff up with indigence. "And you know it's the truth, onna, so don't you start."_

_ "You're acting entirely too friendly, Hoshigaki," she shook her head, rubbing the side of her face with an open palm. _

* * *

Seven months...that would make her battle with Katsu a little less than two years ago. Itachi, Kisame and Saya had reported back to Pein not long after, handing over the sealed jinchuuriki and taking yet another assignment. They'd visited a few other stations, giving orders and recording the news each contact had to report. Well, Saya more or less just followed them around like a lost puppy, much to her distaste. After the first two stops she'd decided she needed to find a new hobby, something that didn't end up with her kicking some idiot's shins or yanking out their hair because they assumed way too much concerning her presence with the other two men. Instead, she found herself making a quick ryo or two performing odd jobs, considering they were usually in a single place for at least a handful of days.

Her favorite thus far had been assisting a bakery owner with menial tasks, like sweeping up loose flour and taking out the trash. The smells that came wafting out of that place were mouthwatering, and the older woman was quite agreeable with her free smiles and kind conversations. As was the younger woman who worked there part-time, though, she wasn't nearly as forthcoming as the woman, Mrs. Yui. In fact the young woman, more of a girl in actuality, said absolutely nothing the entire time Saya had been present. She'd strongly reminded Saya of Yin, with her blank expression and slow, precise movements. Mrs. Yui had told her that the young girl hadn't a family, and that she'd come to work at the bakery at a very young age in order to provide for herself. In fact, Mrs. Yui was contemplating handing over the store to her, as she had no children of her own and was getting a little too old for the work. Regardless, that village in Vegetable Country had been incredibly peaceful.

It was hard to imagine that Akatsuki had spies even in such a quiet place like that.

All the while they'd been traveling Saya had gotten into the routine of sparring with both Kisame as well as Itachi. It had taken some teasing and meddling on her part to finally get the Uchiha to acquiesce, but it had been well worth the effort. Because to be perfectly honest, while Saya had known that Uchiha's were a force to be reckoned with, particularly because the nature of their bloodline, she had no idea just how gifted the young shinobi actually _was_. It was no wonder that he was classed so high in the Bingo book, and she swiftly found that, as experienced as she was, she was no match for the likes of him. It made her wonder just how much he'd been holding back the whole time she'd been in his acquaintance. And though she probably should have been, she found that the knowledge of his expertise, at such a young age, didn't trample on her pride as a shinobi at all.

She enjoyed their combat exercises, and the use of her katanas was as refreshing as slipping on a favorite pair of boots. She often found she could hold her ground when it came to swordsmanship against Hoshigaki, but anything beyond that and she was at a major disadvantage, considering her handicap. Even after her battle with Katsu, Hoshigaki had decided to leave the branded seal on her wrist, saying nothing when she questioned him about it. The only thing she could get out of him was a stern warning that she should only utilize it in dire emergencies, because he had no intention of becoming her chakra bank. She had smirked at that, the warning a distant echo of what he'd told her when she'd fought against Jushiro back when they'd been traveling to Omashu.

It was a funny thing...Hoshigaki, that is. When Saya'd first made his acquaintance on that stretch of beach, she'd immediately pinned him as just a bundle of muscle, though his status in the Bingo book had said otherwise: She'd taken it upon herself to look up all the Akatsuki members in the Imatsura Clan's library before they'd left the compound, deeming it a fairly intelligent idea considering she didn't really know too much about any single one of them. The library was a stockpile of greatly valued information, as well as utterly useless details that not even Saya could say she could exploit. The provided information on Akatsuki had been pathetically scarce, which truly said something about the secrecy it currently resided behind, but she'd been able to pick up on tidbits of details so she had a better idea of who the criminal organization comprised of and when it had approximately appeared...it seemed Katsu had been gathering a lot of information under the table according to his records, just as she'd presumed. She briefly wondered who he made deals with, and what they gained in stead of this information other than a twisted form of political asylum.

The material on Akatsuki was a vague historical documentation involving the previous ninja war and something about Amegakure, and that there'd been sightings of scattered cloaked members, which was basically what she'd already known (And if you happen to be wondering just how our beloved Saya might know such things, then that would be a very good question, wouldn't it?). A small list of names, not nearly adding up to all the men she'd noticed in the cavern, were scrawled on the documents, one of them being Hoshigaki himself. There wasn't any personal information on any one of them on the file, so she'd had to sift through stacks of records in order to find their individual criminal records. She skimmed over one on a man called 'Kakuzu' from Takigakure, then another on a man from Yugakure, though there wasn't much on the latter. Of course Itachi's name was listed, as was another man's from Konoha. When she'd quickly glanced over said man's picture she felt a frigid shiver tickle the back of her neck, and even rubbing it couldn't completely wipe away the feeling that seemed to slither down her spine. She'd saved Hoshigaki's for last, it being nearly as thick as that of the man from Takigakure:

**Name: Hoshigaki Kisame**

**Alias: **_**Kirigakure no Kaijin**_

**Gender: M**

**DOB: March ****18th**

**Age: 24**

She'd paused and blinked, looking over the listed age once more just to make sure she'd read it right. That fish-face...he'd completely lied right to her face, saying he was thirty! It was at this revelation that a bleak thought entered her mind. _Ugh, that means I'm actually _older _than him. _

She continued with lethargic limbs.

**Village: Kirigakure**

**Clan: N/A**

**Rank: S**

**Listed Positions:**

_**Cypher Division **_

_**Seven Swordsmen of the Mist**_

A few other bits and pieces followed, mostly just documentation of his targets and some assignments, and then big, bold, and red was: **MISSING NIN**.

She curiously thought of what her file might contain.

She had committed what she'd read to memory, easily storing away the data for later usage, whatever that usage might evoke. It didn't reveal too much to her, but honestly she hadn't been expecting anything from the endeavor.

So it was safe to say that from the time she'd spent with both men on their travels, she'd come to know more about Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame than the majority of the shinobi in possession of either of their files. That wasn't to say she knew everything there was to know about the two of them, but she'd garnered enough for her liking.

And just what might that entail, do you wonder?

Nothing of worthy consequence.

Saya hadn't concluded much of anything concerning the details of their past, nor what they might aspire for the future. She knew nothing of their families, what might have caused the Uchiha genocide, or the reason for Hoshigaki's defection.

But...

Hoshigaki, she came to recognize, highly enjoyed crab, and especially anything with shrimp. On most occasions, when they'd stop at a place serving sea food, he would order tempura or sashimi, something Saya had poked fun at him for, much to his indifference.

* * *

_ "Ne, Hoshigaki, you really are a shark, aren't you?" Saya asked asked listlessly, cupping the side of her face and leaning lowly onto the table. A steaming plate filled with a blend of rice and fried tempura sat in front of the mentioned shinobi, another plate soon following it to sit before Itachi. His plate was loaded with mochi and dango, with a smaller bowl of soba. She made a face at his food, looking up at the man before lowering her gaze to eye the amass of sweet food. _

_ "You are stranger than you look, Uchiha," she murmured. Too engrossed with his food selection, she missed the twitch of his lips as be broke apart his chop sticks, inclining his head minutely before beginning to eat. The young man serving them slid a bowl in her view, the smell of imoni heavy in her empty stomach. It was a bit out of place, and hadn't been on the menu, but she'd requested it all the same and the cook had been in a good enough mood to comply. She lazily picked up her own pair of chop sticks, the server quickly catching on that none of them were about to communicate their thanks to him. He muttered something under his breath before shoving the serving platter under his arm and stalking away moodily. _

_ In mid-chew, Saya began talking to them, asking if they could take the west road out of the village so she could visit the temple she'd heard about from the locals. _

_ "Don't talk with yer mouth full," Kisame butted in, not even looking up from the table. She shot him a caustic look, snapping her jaw shut and chewing what was left in large, laborious bites. Then, in a moment that spoke volumes of her rebellious nature, she stuck her tongue, slathered with saliva and potato, out at him. A tendon in his jaw ticked as he closed his eyes, ignoring her completely inane display that drew slight attention to their table. She watched his reaction from behind half-lidded eyes, slurping back up the goop, swallowing it daintily, and stabbing yet another morsel. What no one really noticed, however, was a brief bit of it landed elsewhere besides around her bowl. _

_ "Do you always have to act half your age?" He growled at her. _

_ "Do you always have to be so serious?" She countered._

_ "Have you two not learned how to get along yet?" Both Kisame and Saya eyed Itachi warily as he finished off a stick of dango and washed it down with tea. _

_ "Eh, you..."Saya made a motion at her face whilst looking at him. _

_ "Nani?"_

_ "Some food, you know," she continued, her cheek obviously being chewed roughly on. Kisame rolled his eyes at her and continued with his dinner. Without having to be told much more, Itachi caught on and grabbed a napkin, wiping the residue of glaze from around his lips, though, that wasn't nearly what Saya was trying not to laugh at, because to her mortification, a chunk of potato had landed right in his hair. _

_ "Careful, onna, you might bite a hole through your cheek," Kisame commented solemnly, though was chuckling inwardly. As if his warning had undone the last lingering remnants of her self-control, Saya choked on her bubbling laughter, and in the process knocked over her soup, still scalding, right into her lap. With a shriek, she jumped up, jostling the table enough to shift all the dinnerware, Itachi steadying it with a firm grasp. _

"_Shimata!" She hissed, snatching up napkins to wipe off the food from her lap. _

"_Baka."_

"_Kusotare."_

"_Cursing doesn't make you any more alluring, you know."_

"_And who said I was trying to be alluring!"_

_Itachi intervened...again._

"_Urusai."_

_Saya grumbled but sat back down, balling the soiled towels and shoving them to a corner of the table, watching as the slight burns reddened her usually dark skin. An awkward silence descended upon them. _

"_...so about that temple."_

_It was safe to say that, in an effort of slight spite against the stoic Uchiha, Saya left the food in his hair go unmentioned. _

* * *

She smiled at the memory, nudging the covers at the end of the bed with a toe, blatantly disregarding Sho's fit as he swiftly sped out the room and slammed the door, lumbering back down the hall. She was once again alone in the room, the soft hum of the heater buzzing and filling the otherwise silent estate.

Yeah, she'd noticed a lot of things about them.

* * *

_She watched as Kisame perused the collection of oils, plucking two small glass bottles from the shelf and moving on to the uchiko along the far wall. She observed his hands curiously, cocking her head to the side like some kind of drowsy bird. The pair currently resided in a weaponsmith's shop, Saya had caught sight of her traveling companion whilst she'd been gambling with two older men from around the corner. With a heavy coin purse (Because when the gambling actually had some mathematical or cognitive purpose, she had no problem- only when it came to luck did Saya fall short) she'd trailed after him, wondering what he was up to so early in the afternoon. She would have assumed that he'd still be on the job they were commissioned for, considering it was with a rather bawdy yakuza boss according to Hoshigaki himself. _

_He had noticed her right away, telling her to follow him as they made their way into the shopping district of the city. He had doffed the cloak and resolved to wear a collarless, sleeveless uwagi with thickly stitched edges, a simple, cheap obi tightened it around his waist. He wore his usual black combat pants and standard Akatsuki shoes, though, he'd omitted carrying around his sword, but that most certainly didn't mean he was unarmed. Despite his discreet attire, he looked anything _but_ safe. The flock of civilians they'd passed had either gawked, showed open terror, or nervously avoided meeting gazes with the massive shinobi, glancing dubiously at the slighter woman dallying behind him. _

"_What are you doing?" She stepped next to him as he shook a small container, making a silent disapproval of what was inside. _

"_Getting you something to clean your blades with." _

_She refrained from showing her surprise, opting for fidgeting with the beads around her neck instead. She inspected some of the labels on the shelf, reaching for a jar just past his large hand and in the process brushing just slightly with his arm. _

"_The best one is probably this, I've used it a couple of times before," she remarked, handing it to him as he slowly trailed his eyes from where their hands met to where hers were now, awaiting his retrieval. He took a quick look at the words along the side, nodding and placing it in the crook of his elbow along with the rest of his items. They casually examined the rest of the small store, making idle conversation about weapon maintenance and the like. The owner smirked softly as they left, Kisame holding open the door above Saya's head, and another, wan man balked as he passed by them upon entering. _

_Now this next part Saya didn't remember, because of course, she wasn't there to witness it. _

_As the door clicked shut, the lanky man rubbed the back of his head, cringing at the thought of what a woman like that must be doing in the company of a monster. The guy must've been a shinobi, though he wore no head-guard that would have associated him with such a group. The man voiced his concerns to the owner, sliding his purchases onto the counter._

"_I feel bad for the lady," he continued, "I mean, what the heck was that guy fed as a child? He's huge! And did you see his teeth? He must be from Kiri, that's the only place I've ever heard of having people like that. That village is something wicked, from what people have told me. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up in a ditch somewhere."_

"_Oh?" The owner voiced, tapping the price that was scrawled on a receipt. "I wouldn't say that."_

"_Nande?" The man shuffled, digging through his wallet for the amounted ryo. The shopkeeper smirked again, taking the money and handing back change. He thought back to his previous patrons, how they stood beside one another as they discussed weaponry in easy tones, not even acknowledging him as they checked out._

_Then he thought of their exit. _

_And to the gossiping man's complete bewilderment, he replied in a sigh._

"_Just a feeling."_

* * *

Saya had drifted back asleep, focusing in and out on consciousness as a slight winter chill drifted in from the cracked window. Bleary-eyed, she looked up at the ceiling and dreamily watched the paint patterns shifted into different designs before her eyes. Her eyes fluttered shut.

* * *

"_So where did you get the necklace?"_

_Saya lounged across a stone bench, watching the Uchiha as he read through a file she cared little about. They were in a niche along the road, a small rock garden hidden along the enclosure and most likely the efforts of the resident of a cabin not far off into the pasture behind them. Kisame stood, shirtlessly performing katas with Samehada as he worked out the kinks of the boredom that accompanied languid travel. The Uchiha didn't answer, but Saya had grown accustomed to such responses._

"_Maybe a gift from a sibling?" She went on, referring to the strange accessory strung around Itachi's neck. He did not seem bothered by her inquisitive guesses, in fact, he didn't even look up from the papers he held. "Or perhaps it was from a friend, like those ones you have in, what is it called? You know, that place you go when you're just a kid." She paused, furrowing her brows in thought. _

"_Academy," Kisame answered without resting from his exercises. _

"_Oh yeah, Academy," she exclaimed, pounding a fist in one hand. "Was it from a friend from your Academy days? Wait, did you even attend one, or was the Uchiha clan private in their child-rearing?" _

"_I attended the Academy," Itachi said, lifting up a page to refer to one underneath and then flipping it over altogether. _

"_Ne, but did you have a lot of friends?" She draped her arms over the edge of her seat, rolling into a sitting position and slipping the tie from her hair. It fell down past her waist, collecting into her lap as she combed through it with her fingers. "Or maybe you had a strict family, yeah? Like in one of those dramas those girls read all the time, or in that terrible novel Ichi-Ichi-san had his nose in." She took a look at her hair and frowned. _

"_Or maybe it was from a lover?" The silence this time seemed tense, uncomfortably so to Saya's reckoning. She carefully lifted her head to where he sat, and seeing that he still ignored her, sighed. "Or maybe not." A tangle had caught in her hair, and she tugged with what she could to loosen it. _

_In her efforts, Itachi stood from his own bench and tucked the report away in the bag at his side, folding it neatly and then buttoning up his cloak. With terribly silent steps, he left the clearing and headed off in the direction of a lake they'd seen along their way down. _

_"You pissed him off," Kisame muttered, finishing with a set of swings and starting another. Saya threw a look over her shoulder, dropping her hands into her lap with an exasperated sigh. _

_"I know," she admitted. "I figured I would before I started questioning him, but..." She trailed off, though it didn't elicit a reaction from him. He continued with his swings, a few trails of sweat beading down his face. _

"_But you just enjoy pissing people off, don't you?"_

"_No, or haven't you noticed?" She stood from the seat and walked off in the direction Itachi had gone, leaving Kisame to pause questioningly in her wake. "You!" She called backwards without meeting his gaze, "Just you, Hoshigaki."He watched as she disappeared and shook his head, turning back to his katas. _

_She reached the lake's shoreline, small waves lapping against the rocky soil and freshwater reeds. The dense scent of lake water swam around her, the only whisper of fall being the slight change of leaf color adorning the trees. Itachi sat on a boulder just a few paces before her, its base submerged into the water that his feet dipped into motionlessly. She took a few seconds to watch him before walking into the water herself and taking a place beside him, folding her fingers in her lap and waiting. _

_Waiting for what, she didn't know. It was a tense silence that fell between them: He didn't seem to find her worth the effort of acknowledging, and she simply couldn't find any words to give him. This wasn't a normal thing for her, asyou readers might have surmised, as Saya usually had the uncanny knack for producing easy conversation. However, she merely lifted her hand, stiffly, in what looked like an attempt to pat him on the knee, though, she froze in the movement and instead dropped it onto the stone. _

"_Gomen, Itachi-san..."she began slowly, awkwardly, "I didn't mean anything by asking you those questions."_

"_Hn. Don't worry about it."_

"_Yeah...so," she drew out a breath, lifting her resting hand to finally tap him gently on the shoulder rather than the leg, looking in the opposite direction. "So I just wanted to say that and...and-"_

"_It's fine, Sayuri," he said, his frigid posture melting into a something less severe. "I'm not offended."_

_She immediately swiveled her face to his, narrowing her eyes as she intently peered into his. And just like that, Saya was released from whatever had held her._

"_Oh thank the heavens!" She heaved, slapping her forehead, "I thought you were just trying to brush me off, but I guess you're being pretty honest, huh?"_

"_Hn."_

"_Don't you _Hn _me. I may not act it, but I am most definitely your senior," she joked, sweeping her eyes across the lakeside. "Though, I wonder...who will die first?" She watched as the sun began to dip below the far-off hillside, the tantalizing colors of dusk tainting the water a deep, runny red. _

"_You, if you continue to pester those who outmatch you." _

_She swung back around to him, grinning from ear to ear._

"_You think? What wouldn't I give to meet my end at the hands of Uchiha Itachi." She watched his glacial features attempt to chill her blood, but really, she just couldn't find it in her to frown. "Ne, Itachi-san, how old are you?"_

"_I'm sure my file informed you exactly how old I am."_

"_Tsk," she crossed her arms across her abdomen, looking high into the sky. "Figures. You know everything, don't you? Hey, tell me the answer to this riddle," she exclaimed, swinging her head back down. _

"_I'd rather not."_

"_Oh, come on Itachi-san, it's just a riddle."_

"_I think not."_

_She watched him expectantly, blinking with heavy lashes. Saya swung her legs around and crossed them, cupping her chin and tilting her head to the side as she waited. Even someone like Uchiha Itachi had to wonder._

"_What?"_

"_Well...aren't you going to disappear?" _

_He continued to stare at her, his expression unchanging despite the obvious question in the depths of his deep, onyx eyes. "You know," she goaded, sliding her head further to the side with an obtuse smile. "You think not, therefore you are not? Or haven't you heard that joke before?" He gave her a look that spoke volumes._

"_I'll take that as a no, then." Her eyes, for a very small moment, darted to the area along his throat. He noticed the action though, and as she rolled her eyes to the water in an attempt to mask her curiosity, his lips twitched just as they had in the restaurant. _

"_You should act your age, Imatsura."_

"_And you should act yours every once in a while, Itachi."_

_When they made it back to the rock garden, Saya a few steps ahead of the Uchiha, they found Kisame had finished with his practice and was retrieving his cloak. He rubbed the back of his neck, working out the tense muscle that had built up over the position he'd taken up for the past half hour, greeting the pair with a noncommittal nod of the head. _

_Just as he was sliding his arms into the finely-made Akatsuki coat, Saya made a rather unfeminine grunt whilst in the process tussling with the ends of her hair, the knot she'd been playing with earlier still very much intact._

"_I should just chop it all off," she hissed, running the tangle between two fingers before her face. Itachi said nothing and collected his own cloak, donning it and taking off down the unused road. She heaved a sigh of frustration, jumping a bit when she suddenly felt a hand on her head, mussing what little she'd gotten managed. She looked up and found that the calloused but startlingly gentle hand belonged to Kisame, and without looking to her, he told her, "It's fine the way it is." _

"_But cutting it would make everything so much easier," she whined. He mussed it up some more, and she had to wrestle his hand off of her head, ducking under his arm as he pass by her. She gave his back a lazy glare, the expression dropping at his next few words._

"_Don't cut it."_

"_What's it matter to you?" She raised a brow, patting down the mass destruction he'd created out of her thick locks. Then with deft hands, she twisted it back up into a quick twist, tying it into place. He hadn't much moved from his spot with his slow pace, so she easily overtook him with a few long strides, her head held up in mock indignation. Somehow he seemed taller to her, almost at a towering height compared even to her own lithe stature. _

_Kisame watched as she passed by him, and in an single, fluid movement he snatched the hairpiece from her hair and let it tumble down her back._

Much better.

_His lips quirked as she halted in heated astonishment, her eyes wide in a rare moment of incredulity. As he strolled along, his partner just within eyesight ahead of them, he counted silently to himself._

Three, two, one...

"_Hoshigaki, I want my band back."_

"_You don't always get what you want, onna."_

"_Hage!"_

"_Wench."He said easily, carelessly. His tone was almost affectionate, and it made Saya nearly trip_

"_K-Kusotare!"_

* * *

Her face nearly hurt, her smile so terrible that it had to have originated from some wicked creature. Quelling whatever it was that heated her veins, she pushed her face deep into the quilt, curling her fingers around the edges of the blanket.

However, the time came that both Itachi and Kisame were ordered to pursue their original jinchuuriki targets, and Saya was explicitly told she was not to accompany them. Kisame and Itachi, as well as Akasuna no Sasori, were to persuade some terrorist bomber out in Iwa to join, the permanent replacement to Sasori's previous partner, to which Sho had just been a temporary one. After this, they were to locate and apprehend their assigned mark, only occasionally checking up on both Sho and herself, just to make sure they didn't get into any trouble.

She laughed to herself, the sound muffled and muted against the bed pressed against her lips, saliva dampening the fabric beneath her. Deciding that sleep was utterly out of her reach, Saya sat up and scratched her head, dangling her legs over the side and then slipping off altogether onto the cold floor. She padded her way over to the dresser Sho had stood at, retrieving a pair of thick, wool socks to slide onto her feet before securing her boots tightly, yanking the laces into neat bows.

Rather than wearing her usual hakama and light, summer clothes, she now wore forest green, knee-padded combat pants and a simple, black long-sleeved shirt. After shouldering her heavy khaki coat on and pocketing her wallet, she clomped out of the room, eyeing around the walls one last time before locking the door and pocketing the key. She stared at the door across the way for a few minutes, pages of cataloged information flipping at a dashing speed in her mind before brusquely stopping at a single memory. Her eyes lowered, the shadows beneath them particularly dark under the yellow light flickering above her head. A single breath let out a small wisp of puffy breath, the cold sinking into her bones. Both her hands fisted in her jacket pockets, her fingers numbing despite the warmth provided by the thermal material.

Her back ached.

Her breath hitched, but with a rude gesture that mimicked Sho's own teeth sucking, she pushed off the wall and made her way down the hall. As she noiselessly climbed down the narrow stairs, a strained, papery voice addressed her.

"Sayuri, is that you?" Before she even made it to the ground floor, the oppressing scents of herbal remedies assaulted her nose, almost tickling her into a sneeze. The smell made her throat feel slick, and sometimes she felt it stung her eyes, though, she never complained.

"Hai," she answered, looking forward to see an elderly man busily juggling small bushels of something brown and green, the leaves stalky and exotic. Rows of baskets were set up around the room, counters of elixirs and medicines listed under unbelievably cheap prices decorated each corner and stand. The lighting in the room was dim, only an old fashioned, oil lamp hung suspended in one corner where there were no windows, though, the winter clouds let hardly ample light within the quaint shop.

"Oh good, I could use your help at the moment." The owner of the shop, an older man most likely in his late 60's, turned to her with a deep frown etched into his face. He was very much shorter than Saya, whether that had developed with age and the customary hunching over his work, or whether he'd always been of such a height went unknown. He'd told Saya to simply call him Leng-Fan, though, she wondered why he procured such a feminine title.

"Hai. What do you need?"

"An antibiotic that I ordered came in, and I need it delivered to a woman," he dug inside his shirt pocket and handed her the address, "At that street. She's not well enough to travel and her son is out on duty this week."

She nodded to him and took the small paper bag he held out to her, hefting it over her shoulder without raising her face from the paper as she thought of what way she should take to get to the district scribbled down.

"-pain?"

"What?" She looked up tiredly, noticing that Leng-Fan was staring keenly at her.

"I asked if you were in pain again, but that's obvious from the looks of it." He replied knowingly, folding his hands into either sleeve of his apron. "Want me to whip something up for it?" She stared at him without answering, then turned away and tucked the address into her pocket.

"No. I'll be back later." She swung open the door, the little bell dangling from the top chiming to the movement. The sound sent a dull pang through her chest, but it went by without much heed.

"Should I tell that ridiculous boy to meet you at the Okonomiyaki-ya, usual time?" He asked. Leng-Fan had taken it upon himself to constantly ask Saya questions, whether it be about where she and Sho were from, why Sho dressed the way he did, how come Saya wasn't already married, how her health was, what time she ate lunch or dinner, or when the pair expected to up and leave again, as they had a few months ago and then returned not long after. The only thing he never questioned her on was why exactly she and the younger man were hanging around the poorer parts of such a rural village, to which both of them were silently thankful for.

"No, not tonight. Just tell him I'll be in not long after nightfall."

"You shouldn't be out so late with the cold, you'll make yourself worse."

"Thanks for the advice."

"It would be nice if you actually listened to it," he quipped. "Take care."

She threw her hood over her thick braid and stepped out into the snow-laden outside, substantial flurries fluttering from the overcast sky. "Yeah," she said shallowly, "Later."

* * *

**Please Review, I'd like to hear your feedback**~

**References**

* Shuten-dōji - an infamous princess-kidnapping, bloodthirsty oni.

*Akaname- a mythological creature often described as a being which appears in untidy bathrooms to lick up the grime and dirt with poisonous saliva.

*Imoni- is a type of thick potato and meat soup eaten traditionally in the autumn.

*Uchiko- a fine powder that helps absorb excess oil: used for cleaning swords.

*Uwagi- a Kimono-like jacket

*Okonomiyaki-ya- restaurants that serve large, savory pancakes made with diced seafood, meat and vegetables. "Okonomiyaki" literally means "cook what you like," and customers get to choose their own favorite ingredients and then cook up their pancakes right at the table. Because the customers choose their own ingredients, Japanese sometimes compare okonomiyaki to pizza, although the similarity really ends there.


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